Baucus Urges Clean FAA Extension to Get 4,000 Employees Back to Work

(Washington, D.C.) -- Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus went to the Senate floor today to urge his colleagues to support a clean extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization. FAA authorization was forced to expire last Friday after the House of Representatives rejected a clean extension -- putting 4,000 workers on furlough and halting airport safety upgrades that support as many as 87,000 construction jobs across the country.

"There's an easy fix. Along with Senator Rockefeller, I introduced a clean FAA extension that will put 4,000 employees back to work, let us start construction projects across the country to create jobs and improve the safety of our airports. Then, together we can continue working toward a long-term solution. I urge my colleagues to support a clean extension," Baucus said on the floor today.

Just days before the FAA authorization expired, the House passed a proposal to abruptly cut funding for 13 Essential Air Service airports, including Glendive, Montana. Baucus has introduced a clean extension of FAA that would preserve EAS funding in the Senate. A clean extension has passed 20 previously times without controversy and would allow FAA to continue operating uninterrupted while members continue to work toward a long-term reauthorization.

"One of the rural communities House members chose to use as a political pawn is Glendive, Montana. Glendive is growing in the energy sector. Energy companies from Texas and Louisiana are rapidly sending personnel up to Glendive. And hotels in the area run at near-full occupancy, year-round. We are working hard to quickly build housing and infrastructure in order to capitalize on this great opportunity to create much-needed jobs.

"But, Glendive is located 230 miles from any larger airport. Glendive needs Essential Air Service to maintain its lifeline to national commerce and continue to grow and create jobs.




"We can discuss at length the merits of Essential Air Service, the promise made to rural America, and the lifeline it provides to towns like Glendive. In fact, this is a conversation we should have. Any changes should be made as part of a thoughtful and transparent discussion with input from the folks on the ground who will be most affected."

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News & Politics

[rrhynes]

Again, fuck you Mr. Baucus. Let the oil companies pay to get their shit to the job site. Same holds true for the workers. If you want to work in Bum Fuck Egypt, yo ubetter get a drivers license and a fuckin' car.