According to the Federal Aviation Administration, contractors have ceased working on critical airport modernization projects around the country after Congress failed to pass legislation on Friday, July 22, giving the FAA the authority necessary for work to continue. Several “stop work orders” have been issued for major projects designed to build and modernize control towers and other aviation infrastructure throughout the U.S.
This affects many of the NextGen projects that are critical to the AEA’s membership.
“Construction workers across America will lose their jobs and local communities will be hurt the longer this goes on,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Congress needs to pass an FAA bill to prevent further economic damage. This is no way to run the best aviation system in the world.”
“Unless Congress acts quickly, more work on projects critical to our nation’s aviation system will come to a halt,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Work is stopping on construction and planning projects, NextGen system testing and airport certification. The list goes on and on, and this is just the beginning.”
The AEA encourages its members to contact members of Congress and urge them to take action.
For more information, visit the FAA’s website at http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=12963.