Shutting down portions of the government takes unnecessary risks and imposes needless delays on key government programs. America needs an immediate bipartisan solution that fully funds the government for the rest of Fiscal Year 2019.
“We strongly urge Congress and the President to reach an agreement and reopen the closed agencies as quickly as possible,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning. “Essential science, space exploration, and air traffic control modernization work is being delayed, decreasing industry’s ability to invest in our nation’s future. This is no way to run a business – or a government.”
The remaining appropriations bills include critical funding for space programs – including NASA’s Commercial Crew program that seeks to end U.S. reliance on Russia for crew launches to the International Space Station – as well as the Next Generation Air Transportation System, and vital research on aircraft safety and weather prediction. None of these important functions can take place without FY19 appropriations. Each day the shutdown lasts only imposes increasing costs on industry and the American public.
