Senators: The cost of FAA shutdown could exceed $1 billion if unless action taken this week

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Senators: The cost of FAA shutdown could exceed $1 billion if unless action taken this week
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, August 2, 2:12 AM

WASHINGTON — The congressional standoff that has shut down the Federal Aviation Administration continues, with no end in sight until September if the Senate doesn’t act this week.

Lawmakers risk losing more than $1 billion in revenue from ticket taxes that the airline collects. The authority to collect those taxes has expired. House Republicans say the sticking point is their demand that the Senate cut $16.5 million from a $200 million budget for rural air service subsidies.

The shutdown is less than two weeks old and already the government has lost more than $250 million in revenue.

The House has left for its August recess. The Senate is expected to follow this week. Lost revenue from uncollected airline ticket taxes could exceed $1.2 billion before lawmakers return to work in September.




Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-government/senators-the-cost-of-faa-shutdown-could-exceed-1-billion-if-unless-action-taken-this-week/2011/08/02/gIQA3aZzoI_story.html?wprss=rss_national

[mikeburetta]

1. faa

And the House says its going home for 5 week recess..No FAA resolution. No jobs resolution. The only something will be nothing. But then again is that not the Republican motto now..less government? What are we paying these guys for anyway?

[aquart]

2. Too bad. Eric Cantor needs time off.

And this brings him one billion closer to his goal of destroying the American economy.

I hope his dick turns purple.

[mikeburetta]

3. cantor

but then again will fit in well with cantors rhetoric.. one more billion dollar loss "because of obama`s failed economic policies. Nice tactic when ya can be u boat captain launching torpedoes and then say the Lusitania sank because of a bad captain in the wheel house!

[buckrogers1965]

4. We have the FAA for a reason.

Not having oversight over the airlines is going to get passengers killed when planes start falling out of the sky. The airlines only want to make a profit, they don't do maintenance unless someone is standing there with the authority to force them to do the right thing.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. How can anything be fixed if the House isn't in session until September?

[Doctor_J]

6. Tell it to the teabaggers

the president has already given away the entire 20th century

[aquart]

7. Teabags. They aren't teabaggers. Just teabags.

Useful to soak. Disposable.

[jmowreader]

8. Basic economics lesson for lurking teabaggers

If you are throwing away $1.2 billion in tax revenues to try to force a $16.5 million spending cut, you are a stupid motherfucker.

[flamingdem]

9. Welcome to an infrastructure controlled by destructive ideology

and the FAA chairman said flying is not safe because the safety inspectors have been forced to work without pay.

[AndyTiedye]

10. Maybe We Should Have Let Them Cut the Rural Air Service

It's mostly in red states anyway. Let them take the train.
Oh, Amtrak doesn't run there anymore? Why not? Hmmm.