Mike Causey

Furloughs and High-Flying Politicians

While Congress quibbles over the debt ceiling more than 4,000 feds have been furloughed without pay because of political differences over user-fee taxes on airl...

Federal News Network Staff

July 26, 2011 4:00 am

4 min read

When it comes to logging air travel miles, some members of Congress may have more time aloft than some NASA astronauts.

When not in session, which is a lot of the time, many members are part of the unofficial TWT Club. It may be the birthplace of the American 4-day weekend. For some.

TWT Club members are politicians (but rarely staffers) who are in their Capitol Hill offices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – when Congress is in session. The rest of the time they are attending to constituent problems from their home district and home states to St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland or Maui or Paris.

Some members of Congress fly all over the country enjoying free airfare and collecting speaking fees to deliver speeches written for them to read various groups – from corporations to unions – anxious for their goodwill.

Some jet-setting members of Congress are recognized or flagged by airlines and bumped up to higher class seating. Others have their staffs call the airline just to give them a heads up that Rep. X or Sen. Y, guardians of the airline industry and the FAA, will be coming aboard. No pressure! Just a friendly heads up!

Congress in recent years has shown an amazing ability (whether under Democrats or Republicans) to do as little as possible, as late possible as often as possible. Thanks to a partisan spat over cash subsidies to 13 rural communities, the FAA has been forced to furlough almost 4,000 employees. They are paid in part out of airline ticket taxes that expired Friday because Congress failed to extend them.

If you live in the DC area, Atlantic City and Oklahoma City, some of your FAA neighbors may be among the furloughed. The Associated Press said about 1,000 people were hit in the Washington area, more than 400 in New Jersey and 124 workers at FAA’s Oklahoma training center.

When the issue is settled, assuming it is, the furloughed folks may or may not get retroactive pay. In the past furloughed feds nearly always got paid. But that was then. This is now.

Meantime, here’s a comment from one of the suddenly-without-pay workers who asked that her name not be used:

“Good morning. I am one of those faceless FAA employees who has been furloughed. I never knew my salary came out of the trust fund and believed I was a regular employee just like the several ones sitting next to me who were not furloughed. I am truly concerned that politics has prevailed. I congratulate my elected officials on dismantling one of the best, safest aviation systems in the world. If you think this action will not affect everyone in this country think again, for this inaction has far reaching consequences that will affect the economy and the safety of aviation. This lack of action, and the ‘I do not care what happens to people, to this country,’ has got to stop. BOTH sides are to blame. Both sides are in the hall of shame. What ever happened to working towards what is best for this country and the people in this country instead of heated political hatred? Why has this country become a place of discourse instead of a place of harmony? Why is it, these elected official can fly home without doing their job, not worry about the safety of their flight, and just do not care what happens? (and they still collect their paychecks).” – Disgusted in DC.

Air traffic controllers are still on the job. And officials say the furloughs have no impact on air safety. Okay.

Still, if there is a serious accident during the furlough period heads no doubt will roll. Members of Congress will haul bureaucrats and pilots up to Capitol Hill for hearings and a grilling.

If it happens, and we all hope it doesn’t, chances are the hearings will be scheduled for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

To reach me, mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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