Spring break travel is in full force and thankfully, stability has returned in large part to air security with the president directing the Department of Homeland Security to shift funds for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents. Shortly after that, TSA funding was added to a contested, two-track plan to fund DHS following a prolonged shutdown. The Senate passed measures to fund TSA operations, aiming to resolve pay issues for agents that caused staffing shortages and operational disruptions.
Congress returns from its spring break the week of April 13 and the need for stable long-term funding TSA and air traffic employees remain. Both sides of the aisle are continually in a political standoff on this and other issues.
In just six months, these partisan conflicts unrelated to aviation safety have twice disrupted the nation鈥檚 air travel system 鈥 costing the U.S. economy billions and affecting millions of passengers plus the livelihood of TSA and other federal workers. Relying on Congress to ensure pay for frontline aviation safety and security workers is not a viable strategy 鈥 for their families, travelers or for the broader economy.
The U.S. Travel Association for weeks has been driving home the message that putting TSA workers and air traffic staff in a position of working without pay is unacceptable.
鈥淲e are calling on Congress to pass legislation modeled after President Trump鈥檚 actions to guarantee pay for TSA officers and air traffic controllers during all future government shutdowns," the travel association noted in a statement. "This will protect them 鈥 and the traveling public 鈥 from endless chaos.鈥
Pressure this time around on a number of fronts resulted in action. Labor unions, airline leaders and airport executives issued open letters, took out newspaper ads and made direct appeals to urge lawmakers to act on at least one of the existing bipartisan proposals.
鈥淐ongress has the power to end this dysfunction once and for all, and must use any legislative vehicle to accomplish this goal,鈥 the Modern Skies Coalition said in a joint statement in late March.
The coalition of 60-plus organizations pointed to previously introduced legislation like the Aviation Funding Stability Act, Aviation Funding Solvency Act and Keep America Flying Act as potential options.
鈥淩ight now, lawmakers are sitting on their hands doing nothing with three viable, bipartisan bills that could prevent this mess,鈥 wrote Chris Sununu, a former New Hampshire governor who leads the trade group.
Sadly, those previous efforts stalled.
On a positive front, this week the Federal Aviation Administration's budget proposal includes hiring 2,300 air traffic controller trainees to address their current staffing shortage of 3,500 certified controllers.
Meanwhile, summer approaches and the U.S. will be hosting the World Cup and the country鈥檚 250th Anniversary on top of the usually busy summer travel season.
As a country we need to get past the partisan politics and ensure not only stable funding for air travel safety now, but for years to come. If we don鈥檛, this cycle of long security lines and disruption for critical federal employees is likely to continue.
The question remains: Can Congress put aside their differences long enough to specifically ensure this does not continue? Time will tell.
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