NATCA Bookshelf

NIW Today | 36 1 2 3 STOP-AND-GO FUNDING The most serious issue currently facing the FAA is the unstable, unpredictable funding stream, which jeopardizes the safety, efficiency, and capacity of the National Airspace System (NAS) and has caused significant harm to NATCA members. The continued dependence on continuing resolutions (CRs), and government shutdowns (real or threatened) all have negative consequences for the operation and improvement of the NAS. Most recently, the 35-day government shutdown wreaked havoc on the NAS and NATCA members. That shutdown left the NAS less safe than it was before the 35-day shutdown began. Another potential threat to the NAS is the return of sequestration-related spending cuts. Another shutdown was averted when an omnibus spending package was signed into law on Feb. 15. It expires on Sept. 30, 2019. In 2013, sequestration's indiscriminate cuts led to the furlough of all FAA employees, including air traffic controllers, resulting in significant flight delays. Stop-and-go funding leads to a more stressful, less productive work environment for aviation safety professionals in a number of ways. Stop-and-go funding related to the expiration of funding or FAA authorization can result in government-wide and/or partial shutdowns. These shutdowns result in unpaid furloughs and/or uncertainty about when, or if, excepted members will be paid for continuing to perform their job duties. The lack of a stable, predictable funding stream for the FAA also can lead to delays in the implementation of vital modernization technology, delays to the repair of current safety-critical equipment, and delays in hiring and training the next generation of controllers and aviation safety professionals. ISSUE QUICK REFERENCE HOW THIS ISSUE AFFECTS NATCA MEMBERS x

• Cover