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Will sequestration disrupt air travel?

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    Reaction from former TSA official Tom Blank

  • Duration 3:15
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We know -- deal inside the White House says air travel will go haywire if the automatic cuts kick again.

A report released by the Obama administration warns that average wait times.

Could increase by thirty to 50%.

Peak wait times -- -- -- four hours or more and the FAA may need to furlough.

Nearly all of its 47000.

Employees but our next guest says this scenario is an exaggeration.

Joining us now is the chairman of the house committee on transportation.

And infrastructure Pennsylvania congressman bill -- good morning congressman.

Good morning Nelson OKC -- this whole scenario that we've heard from the administration is an exaggeration 47000.

FAA employees won't need to be furloughed.

-- absolutely this is a false alarm.

There's no financial background in financial data to back this up.

If you look at over the last decade the FAA has -- the flights in the United States have gone down -- 27%.

Yes he's budget's gone up by 41% there's plenty of money there they need to sharpen their pencil they need to get down to work to look at other places where they can move this money around and they can do that.

Such as -- and congressman if there if they don't want to lay off anyone and I'm sure they don't and we don't want to have a longer wait times what could they cut.

Well we have non operational.

Personal accounts up to two point seven billion dollars it stings like a supplies and travel and conferences.

They've had to rely.

Seven years 181000 other employees of -- to conferences.

So they can cut out those kinds of things before they have to cut into the muscle.

Of the FAA it's -- -- financial management and that's been the history of the FAA.

They need to get down to business they need to look at it like a private company doesn't says weren't tough times let's figure out how to become more productive.

And let's figure out where we can cut and make sure that safety is a sacrifice.

Just speaking city -- your thoughts on -- -- secretary of Homeland Security has said that she is concerned about national security do you have any fear that there'll -- TSA agents -- -- -- somehow.

They'll be terrorists sickens -- again.

What once again the TSA you've seen -- flights passengers -- level have been flat in this country.

But yet the TSA workers have increased by 3000 members you've also got to.

Risk based assessment and pre screening that makes the job a little bit easier so we have the people place I do not believe a properly managed.

That we will not have any kind of problems with TSA or -- or the FAA.

Highlight here thinking congressmen I mean it's optimistic but do you feel confident that as of tomorrow obviously these cuts won't kick in right -- but let's say as of two months from now.

There won't be longer waits.

At airports because of the sequester.

If the FAA TSA in the Department of Transportation do their job get down to business sharpen a pencil figure out ways to.

To cut places to make sure that safety and security -- in place.

I believe it could happen but this administration -- to get down to business sequestration was the president's idea and now he thinks it's a bad idea.

The House of Representatives has twice to have acted to pass bills so that we can avert a sequestration so he ministries need to get down to business.

Congressman bill Shuster.

Thanks so much for giving them a suggestion of how to avoid this doomsday scenario great to talk to him thank you very much else are.

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