SHAHEEN: CONGRESS MUST NOT LET FAA SHUT DOWN

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today called on the Senate to act quickly to avoid a repeat of last year’s partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and renewed her call for a long-term extension of the critical agency. The FAA is operating under a short-term extension that expires at the end of the month.

“We cannot allow a repeat of last year’s shutdown, which left critical FAA personnel working without pay and threatened important investments in infrastructure here in New Hampshire,” Shaheen said. “We should come together quickly to prevent another shutdown and to pass a long-term extension of this agency. Otherwise, airport improvement projects will continually come under threat and the FAA will be unable to effectively plan its overhaul of our air-traffic control system. The future of air transport in this country should not be held hostage to partisan disputes.”

Shaheen spoke about the impact of the FAA shutdown last year at the Nashua Municipal Airport and on the Senate floor.  She continues to advocate for a bipartisan agreement on a long-term FAA extension and encouraged negotiators to build on recent progress in negotiations.