WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) slammed Republicans in both the House and Senate for forcing the layoff of hundreds of workers in New Jersey by refusing to pass a measure that would allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to continue operating. Republicans have refused to consider an extension of FAA funding unless it includes controversial and divisive policy provisions. As a result, a partial shutdown of the FAA will occur tonight at midnight, furloughing nearly 650 workers at the FAA Tech Center in Atlantic City, delaying Teterboro Airport construction projects, and jeopardizing future airport construction projects in New Jersey and across the country.

“Republicans are more concerned with playing political games than they are about sending hard-working people home without their paychecks,” said Senator Lautenberg, a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. “Democrats proposed a clean bill that not only keeps the FAA up and running, but also keeps people on the job at the Tech Center in Atlantic City, and advances important safety and capacity construction projects at Teterboro Airport. House Republicans need to stand down so hundreds of people in New Jersey can get back to work and these projects can move forward as soon as possible.”

“Republicans are shuttering FAA because of a cheap political stunt,” said Senator Menendez. “New Jersey cannot afford these job losses and the nation cannot afford to interrupt important research to make our airspace safer and more efficient. It is time for Republicans to allow a straight extension to go through and stop playing games with thousands of American jobs and the flying public.”

The FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City is the world’s premiere aviation research and development facility and serves as FAA’s test base. Employees work on long-range development of aviation systems as well as the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen, which will revolutionize air travel.

At Teterboro Airport, two current safety and capacity projects will be delayed impacting 225 construction jobs. The partial shutdown may also impact future airport construction projects around the country. More than $2.5 billion in airport construction funding and 90,000 jobs may be delayed, including $44.7 million in New Jersey projects with the potential to create more than 2,000 construction jobs, according to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. A chart of potential job impacts can be found here: http://democrats.transportation.house.gov/sites/democrats.transportation.house.gov/files/FAA_Shutdow_%20Table.pdf .