Blame Republicans for Future Air Traffic Delays

FAA Chief Michael Huerta/Carolyn Kaster AP

Ham on Wry warns readers today about the disastrous effects air travelers will experience after the FAA is forced to cut $600 million from its approximate $16 billion dollar budget based on sequestration slashing.  FAA Administrator Michael Huerta's testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee fell on deaf Republican ears Wednesday.  Huerta warned committee members that the budget cuts would impact major airports adversely and might cause the north runway at Chicago O'Hare International Airport to shut down because of a lack of enough controllers to meet minimum staffing requirements to keep all runways open.

In typical GOP fashion, Republican committee members made light of Huerta's dire predictions.  Representative Sam Graves of Missouri questioned the truth of Huerta's statement that the cuts would leave a budget running at 2008 levels.  Graves countered that claim by saying, "We're not going back that far.  The sky isn't falling.  We're not going to have any meteors hit because of sequestration."  Graves obviously doesn't understand the restrictions FAA has in determining where cuts can be made.  Huerta clarified his position by explaining that 85% of FAA's employees work in the field and would face the majority of the cutbacks because the agency has little flexibility of what to ax.

Representative Bill Shuster, committee chairman, in his infinitive wisdom counseled Huerta, "We believe you have the flexibility within those lines of business to save money."  Frankly, belief doesn't enter into the equation, Shuster.  Here's an example of yet another Republican posturing rather than studying facts before he opens his mouth.  Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood offered the same chilling predictions that Huerta did in predicting delays of as much as 90 minutes during peak travel time because fewer controllers will be working.

I am sick and tired of obtuse politicians playing Chess with our lives.  If these idiotic Republicans cause us more headaches than already exist at busy airports, let them put up or shut up.  They should be required to man the customer service counters to handle disgruntled passengers.  I have lived long enough to see a massive change in the Republican Party, and it isn't pretty.  Their statements sound robotic and tiresome.  Voters, remember this in the next election.  Get rid of this dead weight and elect Representatives with fresh ideas and a willingness to work with all members of the House.