Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo on Monday said he believes some functions of the Federal Aviation Administration that are key to the general aviation industry’s ability to do business can be reopened even without the passage of full spending bill.
Congress’ inability to pass a spending bill has led to the current government shutdown. Among the halts that have most impacted general aviation has been the closure of the FAA Registry Office in Oklahoma City.
With employees there on furlough, there can’t be completed aircraft sales, purchases, production or re-registration.
I caught up with Pompeo, R-Wichita, briefly on Monday and he expressed hope that something could be done to get that office and “such a basic federal function” up and running again.
“We’re going to pass legislation to try and reopen that,” he said. “I’ve talked with the folks at NBAA, I’ve talked with businesses, it’s frustrating for them. It’s a terrible conundrum we’ve put them in.”
I asked Pompeo if it would be something contingent on a complete spending bill being passed.
“I hope not,” he said. “I think we can do better than that. I think there is goodwill on both sides of the aisle to try and get that undone.”
He added that he hopes to have legislation aimed at doing so on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives soon.
“We’re trying t get something on the floor either today or tomorrow,” he said. “I don’t know that we’ll have any luck with that, but we’re working that way.”
http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/blog/2013/10/pompeo-hopeful-for-reopening.html