On the recordFebruary 15, 2011
the pending Paul amendment will cut the FAA's authorization levels for fiscal year 2011 to 2008 levels, $14.7 billion for the entire agency, representing a near $3 billion cut from the administration's introduced level of approximately $17.5 billion. That does not sound like a lot of money--of course it does-- but let me explain. Managing FAA at the 2008 levels would result in the immediate retrenchment of core functions to reduce operating costs; to wit, FAA would eliminate services and furlough all air traffic organization employees for at least 20 days. The primary services of the ATO is to move air traffic safely and efficiently, and that for a period of 40 days would cease. FAA would implement a hiring freeze for the ATO--air traffic organization--which would force the ATO to focus on major airports with scheduled service resulting in service reductions at particularly the smaller and rural airports, which affects some of us. The Aviation Safety Office would eliminate 680 employees through attrition. It would also furlough all 1,015 operational support employees an average of 2 days each week. It is pretty hard to carry on 3 days and then 3 days the next week. That particular agency, Aviation Safety, is responsible for the certification, production approval, and continued airworthiness of aircraft and certification of pilots and certification of mechanics and others in safety-related positions. That is what this amendment would do.
