Congressman Charles Bass

August 2, 2011

WASHINGTON – Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) called for an end to the Congressional stalemate over the extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill and urged the Senate Leadership to pass the extension without delay.

Since the partial shutdown, 42 FAA personnel in New Hampshire have been furloughed, including engineers, architects, and other aviation safety personnel. Nationwide, approximately 4,000 FAA employees have been furloughed since the Senate failed to act on the FAA extension passed by the House on July 20th.

Bass said:

"The short-term reauthorization of the FAA bill passed with bipartisan support in the House recently and continues to await action in the Senate. We need to enact another extension now so that the FAA can continue to operate.

"These furloughs are affecting families and communities in New Hampshire and across the nation. It's imperative that we get these FAA employees back to work to maintain our aviation infrastructure and ensure the safety of our skies. I urge my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to come to a resolution as fast as possible before Congress breaks for the August District Work Period."

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