Holds News Conference At California's Oakland International Airport

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt held a news conference Tuesday in which he urged Congress to approve the continuing resolution passed by the House Tuesday to fund the agency through January 30th, 2012.

Babbitt selected the Oakland, CA, Airport for the event in part because of a high-profile control tower project which would be stopped if the agency is again forced to shut down. "Projects like this new Oakland air traffic control tower are critical to our aviation system. Oakland is a gateway—a key facility in a key location," Babbitt said. "This airport serves about 10 million people a year. We want to do everything we can to help this airport and this community continue to provide the highest quality air transportation."

Babbitt said that in Oakland, stopping construction of the tower cost about $6,000 each day in rental expenses for scaffolding, trailers and other worksite equipment during the shutdown which occurred in August. He cited other examples as well. "In Las Vegas, the contractor has submitted a claim for $360,000 extra because of the furlough, Babbitt said. "In Traverse City, Michigan we have been told we will have to pay at least $75,000 more for the control tower because the contractor had to remove a crane during the furlough and then haul it back. This is no way to do business. This is no way to run the best aviation system in the world."

The House passed a temporary funding instrument Tuesday on a voice vote. The measure is still pending in the Senate, where it faces opposition from Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn over non-aviation-realated provisions in the bill.

FMI: www.faa.gov