The U.S. is home to the busiest and safest aviation system in the world and thousands of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees make sure it stays that way every day. But some in Congress, those who think we should cut our way to prosperity, are prepared to allow sequestration — across-the-board cuts — to go into effect March 1st.
For the FAA this means the loss of $627 million and mandatory furloughs of employees who work tirelessly to keep our skies safe, such as aviation safety inspectors, systems specialists and air traffic controllers. It means reduced operating hours and hiring freezes. It means a slow down on aviation operations and a squeeze on the billions of dollars the industry pumps into our economy.
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS) and its members are working to stop sequestration before it negatively impacts aviation safety and FAA employees.
We need to keep this manufactured deficit crisis off our ramps and tarmacs and out of our radar rooms and control towers. We cannot again allow a loggerhead in Congress to result in furloughs for aviation safety specialists. The FAA and other agencies need the security of knowing that it will be business as usual on March 1 and beyond.
As the clock ticks down over the next two weeks, let’s tell Congress these misguided austerity measures would have a damaging impact on the safety and efficiency of our nation’s airspace system.