Today I get to report something we don’t hear enough of: good news from Washington. There is finally a bipartisan consensus in Washington that we need to end at least some of the political theater associated with the ongoing government spending negotiations.
It is apparent to many — on both sides of the political aisle, in the media and among frequent travelers — that the Federal Aviation Administration was trying to make a political point by purposefully implementing the across the board budget cuts, known as “sequester,” in the most negligent and disruptive way.
The sequester is the result of the Budget Control Act of 2011, which increased the federal debt limit but required cuts to federal spending, including $85 billion for fiscal year 2013. These cuts stretch across the government – my office account, for instance, was reduced by 8.2% – and the FAA’s share was a cut of $637 million, which is roughly 4 percent of its $15.9 billion budget last year. The FAA budget reduction returns their budget to 2010 levels. However, facing a 4 percent budget cut, the FAA managed it so that 40% of flights across the country were delayed, affecting family vacation, business travel and millions of flyers.
No doubt, there was a hope that the outrage from these delays would increase pressure on Congress to agree to higher tax rates as a way to end sequestration. This effort failed. The bill Congress passed makes it clear that the budget reductions in the FAA should be done in a reasonable way that doesn’t compromise air travel in the United States.
The bipartisan bill the House passed on April 26th allows the Department of Transportation to reprioritize the cuts within the FAA’s operating accounts, making it clear that they should end the flight delays and implement the budget cuts in a more responsible manner.
Unfortunately, I was lobbied by groups wanting to maintain the flight delays because they dislike the politics behind the idea of any achievable government spending reductions. But our national debt is now at $16.7 trillion and we have an obligation to responsibly reduce government spending whenever we can — without jeopardizing vital programs such as air traffic control which is essential for our air transportation system. It is unfortunate that the FAA choose not to do so, but at least Congress made the correction.
Beyond this small change, we still have a larger agreement to find regarding federal spending. In Congress, there are both Democrats and Republicans calling for an end to the sequester cuts. For the Democrats, it’s often about protecting their favorite programs and for the Republicans it’s usually spending on defense. I believe that both sides are wrong, and that the deficit reduction targets under sequester can be achieved without the need to restore funding by increasing taxes or hurting those who rely on government programs. We need to focus on priorities and reduce frivolous spending, duplication and waste.
Unfortunately, not having a balanced budget requirement allows congress to never have to make the tough decisions of prioritizing spending. Old programs never go away as new ones emerge, because Congress can just keep spending and borrowing without limit. This is why I strongly believe that the greatest reform in changing the culture of Washington, D.C. is this constitutional amendment that strips the power from congress to continually over-promise and spend money that we don’t have.
I am pleased Congress has made some movement in this direction to reprioritize the FAA budget to focus on their priorities. The President has said he will sign this bill and this gives me hope that we can achieve bipartisan progress in other areas of the budget.
U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman is a Republican representing Colorado’s 6th Congressional District, encompassing Aurora.