Opinion: Pass Rep. Graves’ plan to keep America flying in next shutdown

This op-ed originally appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Congress left Washington for its annual August recess with some unfinished business. When members return, they’ll have just weeks to pass a Senate-backed budget measure that would stave off a government shutdown until at least December.

Following last year’s record closure that wreaked havoc on America’s aviation system, lawmakers need to avoid a repeat at all costs. Creating safeguards that keep critical personnel paid during this or future budget battles, a cause spearheaded by Missouri’s own U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, would be a prudent step to protect the flying public from government-caused chaos.

The U.S. travel economy was sent into a tailspin last fall when Congress failed to reach a funding agreement for 43 days. As the government shutdown dragged on, federal staff — including air traffic controllers — went without pay and were forced to take second jobs to make ends meet. Hundreds more quit the profession entirely.

To add insult to injury, staffing woes forced federal regulators to impose sweeping flight cuts at 40 of the nation’s major airports. Like pulling blocks from a Jenga tower, cutting flights from an interconnected aviation network created problems far beyond the specific airports where mandated reductions occurred.

Between government-mandated flight cuts and staffing shortages, more than 9,000 flights were canceled over the shutdown’s timespan — resulting in an estimated $7.25 billion hit on the U.S. economy. While major hubs like Chicago, New York, and Newark bore the lion’s share of the disruptions, Missouri travelers were not spared from frustrations.

St. Louis International — the state’s flagship airport — serves almost all of the cities targeted by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) flight reductions. As nationwide disruptions piled up, those delays and cancellations trickled down to the Gateway City. Passengers were forced to change plans or find alternative accommodations.

With the next funding deadline rapidly approaching, travelers could soon be experiencing déjà vu. Passing a straightforward budget without kicking the can down the road appears increasingly tenuous given the political climate. It’s a situation that leaves America’s flying economy vulnerable. Washington needs to conduct evasive maneuvers.

Enter Rep. Graves, the House Transportation Committee chairman. He’s working to ensure critical aviation operations aren’t treated as political pawns during funding fights that have nothing to do with air travel.

Following last year’s stalemate, Rep. Graves introduced a bill to allow the FAA to tap into a wartime insurance fund to continue paying air traffic controllers, safety inspectors, and other critical aviation personnel when Capitol Hill goes dark. The goal of the legislation is straightforward: Planes shouldn’t stop flying simply because Congress stops funding the government.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., has proposed a similar safeguard, allowing the government to use a trust fund supported by aviation-related taxes and fees when lawmakers fail to see eye-to-eye. Regardless of which avenue lawmakers take, funding certainty today is essential for reliable air travel tomorrow.

America’s aviation network is too important to be held hostage by Washington’s recurring budget battles. Rep. Graves’ proposal recognizes that reality and offers a smart path forward. His colleagues on Capitol Hill should help get it off the ground.

Jackson Shedelbower is the executive director of the Center for Transportation Policy.