The ongoing standoff between House Republicans and Senate Democrats over the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill isn’t as dramatic as the recent debt ceiling debate. But the impact is already being felt my tens of thousands of government employees and other workers. The partisan fight has resulted in a partial shutdown of the agency and is now costing the government as much as $30 million a day. Dems say the battle is over unions, which are under attack from the right. But the GOP says it’s really about cost-cutting. On Tuesday, President Obama asked both sides to pass even a temporary resolution. But that seems unlikely at this point. Since Congress has failed to fund the FAA, it’s now out of cash and at least two hundred Californians have been furloughed as a result. How long will this partisan battle last? How serious will the impact be locally and nationally?
Guest:
Xavier Becerra, Democratic Congressman representing California’s District 31, which includes Echo Park, Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Atwater Village, Westlake, Hollywood, Silver Lake and Highland Park. Congressman Becerra is a Senior Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Vice-Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus