"Shame on Congress" - FAA Furlough's Workers

BREAKING: Aug.4,2011 3:23pm est  AP Reports that the Seante  Harry Reid HAS A DEAL to end the Partial FAA shutdown and put over 74,000 workers back to work & OFF the unemployment line!

Aaahhh, SUMMER! Long warm lazy crazy days! A time to relax. A time to stop and enjoy life.

We ALL work very hard all year and we deserve a must needed break from the monatny of the day to day work grind. Time to spend some quality time with family, friends and ....... CONSTITUENTS!?

Right after the final vote was cast on the Debt Ceiling Bill on August, 2, 2011, Congress fled Washington D.C. on there summer vacation break faster then a Nolan Ryan fastball. Why not, you may ask! They work hard all year. They finished there job for now so it's time to take a well earned VACATION!

RIGHT?...........WRONG! 

A congressional dispute has delayed funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, resulting in a partial shutdown. So while Congress hits the beach, aviation workers hit the unemployment lines. Over 74,000 workers to be exact. 

 

At issue is a decision by Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican, to add a provision to the funding extension cutting subsidies to rural airports,known as the Essential Air Service program at a savings of about $16 million.(see partial list below as he manly targeted democrats). The measure is opposed by powerful Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.  There's also a dispute over provisions that would make it easier for airline employees to unionize. Democrats support the section; Republicans generally oppose it. 

FAA employees are stuck in the middle of the dispute. But they're not the only people being hurt. The FAA has stopped hundreds of airport construction projects nationwide, putting construction workers out of work.

Also support workers, such as food service vendors, are also affected, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

The FAA says the impasse will also prevent the federal government from collecting approximately $200 million a week in airline passenger taxes -- or about $1.2 billion during the congressional recess.

All this simple to cut $200 million of the federal budget! 

The FAA’s re-authorization, normally routine, has become a partisan football in a polarized Washington, D.C. Sound familiar?

The FAA has gotten along for almost five years on a string of 20 "temporary extensions" because Congress has been unable to work out long-term funding for the agency since 2007. The 20th extension ran out on July 23, and so "nonessential" functions — construction projects, facilities inspections and the like — were shut down.

Both the House and the Senate have actually passed bills to fund the FAA this year, but they weren't able to combine them into a single measure both chambers could agree on.

The Senate version, which passed in February, left in place a new federal rule that would make it easier for unions to organize at airlines. (Previously, unions had to win "yes" votes from a majority of all eligible employees, whether they actually voted or not; employees who didn't show up to vote were automatically counted as "no" votes. The new rule makes it a simple majority of employees who actually vote.)

Ely,Nev.

In April, the House passed its version. Under heavy lobbying from Delta Airlines — where the National Mediation Board is investigating alleged corporate interference with a union election last year — it included an extra provision to repeal the new union rule.

Senate Democrats refused to go along with a compromise that killed the union organizing rule, which President Barack Obama said he would veto anyway. But House Republicans said it was non-negotiable.

So while once again Washington play's partisan politics with thousands of American's lives, these workers are now furloughed until after Labor Day when Congress comes back from there "Well deserved Summer vacation"!  So instead of them heading off to wait in line to see a movie or standing in line a t the register at a mall, they are ALL heading for the unemployment line and are trying to make ends meat and survive!

Again I blame both parties for NOT working out there differences for the American workers and only thinking of there own political agendas and self interest and spitefulness!


SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!

NBC News reported that Reid sent House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, a letter Wednesday offering to approve a clean extension, saying the cuts in airport subsidies could be negotiated in a long-term bill when Congress returns next month. 

1. Airports that would lose subsidies
   The House-passed bill to extend authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration would reduce federal subsidies for 13 small rural airports:
   • Alamogordo, N.M.
   • Athens, Ga.
   • Bradford, Pa.
   • Ely, Nev.
   • Franklin-Oil City, Pa.
   • Glendive, Mont.
   • Hagerstown, Md.
   • Jackson, Tenn.
   • Jamestown, N.Y.
   • Johnstown, Pa.
   • Jonesboro, Ark.
   • Lancaster, Pa.
   • Morgantown, W.Va.
   
   

   • One is in Ely, Nev., which is represented by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid.

   • Another is in Morgantown, W.Va., which is represented by Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller.

   • Another is in Glendive, Mont., which is represented by Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Finance Committee.

   • Another is in Jamestown, N.Y., which is represented by Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, a member of Baucus' committee.
   • A fifth is in Alamogordo, N.M., which is represented by Democratic Sen. Tom Udall, a member of the Transportation Committee's subcommittee on aviation.

 Not all of the airports are in states represented by senior Democrats influential in finance or transportation. The Athens, Ga., airport, for example, is in a state with two Republican senators and a district represented by a conservative Republican.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords - The Debt Ceiling Bill

UPDATE: Senate Followers House, Passes Debt Ceiling Bill 74-26

I've been trying to find the words on what to post on the this debate on the Debt Ceiling Bill!

President Obama, Speaker of the House John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the "Tea Party" lead by Michele Bachmann. Those were the players in this political game with the future of ALL Americans sitting and again waiting in the balance for our elected officials to come up with a plan so we would not default on our debt.

But as always, politics and EVERYONE'S own political agenda got in the way as this time we had "THREE" sides to the issue. The Republicans, the Demorcrates and the "Tea Party" each, in my opinion, putting themselves first and not the American People's best interests.

But on Monday, the House overcame opposition from liberal Democrats and tea party conservatives for ideologically different reasons to pass the measure by a 269-161 vote.
The Senate will take up the measure on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 needing a "Super-Majority" of 60 votes!
See how YOUR House Representative voted on the Debt Ceiling Bill→ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll690.xml

You can read below what was in the bill and what it means. Or Read the Entire Legislation Bill Here→  http://money.cnn.com/news/storysupplement/debt_ceiling_bill/?iid=EL

But to me this night will be remembered for the return to the house floor of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. She, it was learned, insisted to be flown to Washington D.C. to be on the floor for this historic moment in history.

House Speaker John Boehner said he was "very surprised" to see Giffords, whom he met as she got off a Capitol elevator.
"It was nice to see her," said Boehner, who said he told Giffords, "Welcome back."

Rep. Nancy Pelosi said, "Her presence here in the chamber as well as her service throughout her entire service in Congress, brings honor to this chamber.
"We are privileged to call her a colleague," Pelosi added. "Some of us are very privileged to call her a friend."

She brought a Bi-Partisan reaction to the House floor as Democratic, Republicans and "Tea Party" members rose as one to a rousing ovation as she entered the room!
God Bless her continued recovery from the horrific, senseless, tragic events that unfolded on the morning of January 8, 2011 at around 10:10am in front of a safeway shopping store in Tucson, Arizona.

Photo By Tom Williams / Roll Call

To me, she represents the TRUE American spirit of never giving up under any cercumstances and showing to her collegues that it's NOT about them, it's about serving ALL the American people and getting the job done for the better of the country.

WELL DONE, GABY! Your looking BEAUTIFUL!

Details on the Debt Ceiling Bill Passed by the House:

 A debt ceiling increase of between $2.1 trillion and $2.4 trillion: The framework will raise the debt ceiling immediately by $400 billion, then by another $500 billion after September.
After deep cuts are enacted by the end of the year, it will be increased by another $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion.
All told, the increases should cover the Treasury's borrowing needs until 2013.
At least $2.1 trillion in spending cuts: The framework would immediately cap domestic and defense spending, resulting in cuts of $917 billion over 10 years.
The framework then calls for more deficit reduction -- between $1.2 trillion and $1.5 trillion worth -- to be determined by the end of this year and imposed over 10 years. (Video: Shocker! A real Senate debate)
Bipartisan debt-reduction committee: That second round of deficit reduction would be proposed by a special bipartisan joint committee of Congress. The committee has until Thanksgiving to come up with its proposals and those proposals would be guaranteed by an up-or-down vote without amendment by Dec. 23.
If the committee proposes and the Congress approves between $1.2 trillion and $1.5 trillion in cuts, the debt ceiling will be increased dollar for dollar.
If the committee deadlocks or comes up with less than $1.2 trillion in cuts, or if Congress votes down the committee's proposals, the debt ceiling will be raised by $1.2 trillion.While it appears the committee will be free to consider entitlement and tax reform -- and dare we say it, tax hikes -- practically speaking it's more likely members would hit an impasse over these measures just as they have, oh, every other day this year.
Across-the-board cuts as trigger: If the committee deadlocks or fails to come up with at least $1.2 trillion in debt reduction, the sword of Damocles will fall on most forms of spending in the federal budget.
Specifically, as much as $1.2 trillion in across-the-board cuts would kick in -- evenly divided between defense and non-defense spending.
Exempt from this round of cuts, however, would be programs that aid low-income Americans, according to Democrats' fact sheets. These include Social Security, Medicaid, veterans' benefits and pensions, food stamps and Supplemental Security Income.
While Medicare would not be exempt, the framework would restrict cuts to no more than 2% of the program's cost. And the cuts that occur would not affect Medicare benefits nor would they increase seniors' costs, according to the White House fact sheet.
Required vote on balanced budget amendment: In theory, the across-the-board cuts could be avoided if instead both chambers of Congress pass a Balanced Budget amendment to the Constitution and send it to the states for ratification before the end of the year


See how YOUR House Reprentative voted on the Debt Ceiling Bill→ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll690.xml