ICYMI: Sinclair: "FAA warns Republican lawmakers against budget cuts ahead of summer travel season"

Yesterday, Sinclair Broadcasting reported on the impacts Speaker McCarthy's reckless debt limit bill would have on summer travelers across the country—including massive layoffs at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the slowing of modernization projects, and travel disruptions for the flying public.

In an interview with Sinclair, FAA acting administrator Billy Nolen explained that the House Republican proposal would result in the furlough all FAA employees for 22 days and could result in the elimination of 10% of the FAA workforce. He also expressed concern that the cuts would not allow airports to meet demand for flying that has roared back since the pandemic.

"It would mean closing, shutting down service to 125 low-activity towers and over 250 federal contract towers, which means that…two-thirds of the [National Airspace System] would be without air traffic control services," Nolen said of the bill.

Sinclair also noted that "The Department of Transportation said the proposal would require shutdowns at federally-staffed facilities and increase airport security wait times at large airports by about two hours."

Read the full article below:

Sinclair: FAA warns Republican lawmakers against budget cuts ahead of summer travel season
[Ahtra Elnashar, 4/27/23]

After a year of chaotic air travel – bogged down by surging demand, system outages, and pilot and air traffic control staffing shortages – Federal Aviation Administration acting administrator Billy Nolen urged lawmakers to not make things worse.

His comments come as Congress prepares the FAA's reauthorization and Republicans propose trillions in spending cuts as a condition of raising the debt ceiling.

The budget cuts considered by some would be "raw, they would be deep, and they would impact the flying public," Nolen said. "Cuts will slow modernization of old systems, hobble our effort to train more controllers and jeopardize our work to usher in the next era of aviation.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the House Republican's legislation titled 'the Limit, Save, Grow Act' was still in flux as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., worked to garner support in his narrow majority.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has gone on offense, detailing the consequences of sweeping discretionary spending cuts. The Department of Transportation said the proposal would require shutdowns at federally-staffed facilities and increase airport security wait times at large airports by about two hours.

Nolen said "the kind of cuts that might be either anticipated or put forth" would mean furloughing all FAA employees for 22 days and potentially cutting 10% of its workforce.

"It would mean suspending training at our FAA academies, so this path we're on to getting more controllers out there to meet the demand that is back faster than ever. It would mean closing, shutting down service to 125 low-activity towers and over 250 federal contract towers, which means that two-thirds of the (National Airspace System), two-thirds of the NAS would be without air traffic control services," Nolen said.

President Joe Biden's budget request for fiscal year 2024 called for $19.8 billion for the FAA to operate and improve its airspace system. An additional $5 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for airport and air traffic projects brought the total funding request to $24.8 billion.

Nolen said even a continuing resolution, a bill that prolongs current spending levels if a new budget isn't approved by the deadline, would force major disruptions, including cancellations and delays.