Lawmakers must act quickly to avoid another partial FAA shutdown.

With the current FAA authorization extension expiring Sept. 16, it is essential that lawmakers hear from you. Congress must either reauthorize the agency or keep routine continuations of agency authority “clean”. The proper place for policy changes is in new legislation, not must-pass extensions.

This means no policy, no pork, and no politics.

As a creation of Congress, lawmakers are obligated to give the agency the resources it needs to do its job. During last month’s partial shuttering, the FAA lost $420 million in tax revenue. The FAA furloughed 4,000 employees, resulting in worldwide certification delays. Stop work orders on 241 aviation infrastructure projects idled tens of thousands of construction workers. All because Congress could not keep a simple extension clean.

The uncertainty surrounding FAA funding and aviation policy is hindering growth and stifling job creation in American’s most valuable industry. Congress should enact an FAA extension free from policy riders that allows enough time to complete a new multi-year reauthorization bill. Our elected representatives should not play games with aviation safety.

Your voice is critical. Tell your lawmakers not to hold the FAA hostage to political battles. There is too much at stake for our country’s aviation system, our economy, and our global competitiveness to set aviation policy on what should be a simple continuation of FAA operating authority.

Tell Congress to “Keep it Clean” and let the FAA do its job until lawmakers enact a new authorization bill. ARSA has made it easy to weigh-in with your representatives and senators. Invest ten minutes of your time for the future of the industry.

Click here and follow these instructions:

• Save the pre-written Word document as a file on your computer.

• Complete the pertinent details of the letter (which are in bold)

º Find the name, address, and fax number of your senators and member of Congress by typing in your        zip code here.

• Place the message on your company’s letterhead.

• Fax the letter to your lawmakers’ offices.

• Scan a copy and send it to arsa@arsa.org so we can follow up.

~~~ posted 09/13/11 ~~~

More from ARSA