Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) made the following statement after the House passed legislation to transfer funds within the Federal Aviation Administration budget to lessen the need for furloughs of air traffic controllers:

“While I’m pleased the House acted to avoid further damage to our air traffic control system, this disjointed but necessary vote today illustrates the haphazard method by which these sequester cuts were implemented,” Wittman said. “Instead of the indiscriminate cuts of the sequester, I have voted to replace it with more commonsense measures to rid the government of waste. Separately, I am concerned about the uncertainty the sequester continues to cause for federal employees and their families. To that end, I joined my colleagues in the Virginia Delegation expressing the need for immediate action to avert furloughs to the Defense Department’s civilian workforce. Furthermore, I also appealed to Secretary Hagel requesting that the service branch chiefs not be required to institute furloughs. There are other ways to create savings and I want to ensure that federal agencies use the flexibility granted to them so that they are not forced to use furloughs as a cost cutting mechanism.”

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.

###