Urgent FAA bill blocked by senator demanding funding for Ukraine

Dec 15, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Alex Peebles (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Editor)

In an impassioned speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, Dec. 14, Democrat Michael Bennet defended his blocking of a must-pass bill, demanding more aid to Ukraine. The bill would extend the authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration into March. If the bill does not pass by the end of the year, the FAA is at risk of a shutdown.

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“That’s what they’re doing during this Christmas season; they’re fighting for their lives, they’re fighting for democracy,” Sen. Bennet said of Ukraine.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called Bennet’s objection “irresponsible” as more than 7.5 million Americans are expected to fly this holiday season.

“At the moment, we face a potential challenge of not extending the FAA’s authorities because of the objections of a Senate Democrat,” Cruz said. “This is irresponsible and, frankly, bad for the safety agency’s ability to operate effectively.”

The Senate is looking to pass the bill unanimously, with all 100 senators voting in favor, but Bennet told reporters on Thursday that he is willing to hold the bill up as long as it takes to get Ukraine the aid it needs.

However, as time passes, there are many other hurdles any funding bill would have to clear. Republicans said any bill that includes funding for Ukraine and Israel must include stricter border policy, a stipulation that has already blocked funding efforts. And anything that does get passed by the Senate would have to be voted on by the House, which has adjourned for the holidays.

The House breaking for the holidays is another contentious issue. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized Republican speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to adjourn.

“If it is an emergency, as so many Republicans have said on the border, and many have said about Ukraine, you don’t go home for three weeks,” Schumer said. “It will be much harder to do in January, everyone admits that, than it is today.”

Too many Republicans now seem more interested about flying home for the holidays than finishing the job.

If Republicans say the border is an emergency, they should be prepared to stay.

Crying fire about the border then saying we should go home the next is unserious. pic.twitter.com/dMGhiZogrq
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 13, 2023

If any funding does get pushed through the Senate in the next two weeks, the House could be called back for a vote, but Johnson said in a statement on Thursday that the House would not wait around for a rushed product from the Senate.

Tags: Chuck Schumer, FAA, House of Representatives, Immigration, Israel, Michael Bennet, Mike Johnson, Ted Cruz, U.S. Senate, Ukraine, Ukraine aid

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET, D-COLO. – “THAT’S WHAT THEY’RE DOING DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES, THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY.”

[Karah Rucker]

IN AN IMPASSIONED SPEECH ON THE SENATE FLOOR – DEMOCRAT MICHAEL BENNET RESPONDED TO HIS BLOCKING OF A MUST-PASS BILL THAT WOULD EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INTO MARCH.

IF NOT PASSED BY THE END OF THE YEAR THE FAA IS AT RISK OF A SHUTDOWN.

TEXAS SENATOR TED CRUZ CALLING BENNET’S OBJECTION IRRESPONSIBLE AS MORE THAN 7-MILLION AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO FLY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TEXAS: “AT THE MOMENT, WE FACE A POTENTIAL CHALLENGE OF NOT EXTENDING THE FAA’S AUTHORITIES BECAUSE OF THE OBJECTIONS OF A SENATE DEMOCRAT. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND, FRANKLY, BAD FOR THE SAFETY AGENCY’S ABILITY TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY.”

[Karah Rucker]

THE SENATE IS LOOKING TO PASS THE BILL UNANIMOUSLY WITH ALL 100 SENATORS VOTING IN FAVOR – BUT BENNET TOLD REPORTERS ON THURSDAY HE IS WILLING TO HOLD THE BILL UP AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GET UKRAINE THE AID IT NEEDS.

BUT AS TIME TICKS BY – THERE ARE MANY OTHER HURDLES ANY FUNDING BILL WOULD HAVE TO CLEAR.

REPUBLICANS SAY ANY BILL THAT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR UKRAINE AND ISRAEL MUST INCLUDE STRICTER BORDER POLICY – A STIPULATION WHICH HAS ALREADY BLOCKED FUNDING EFFORTS.

AND ANYTHING THAT DOES GET PASSED BY THE SENATE WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED ON BY THE HOUSE. WHICH HAS ADJOURNED FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

THE HOUSE BREAKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS – ANOTHER CONTENTIOUS ISSUE.
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER CRITICIZED REPUBLICAN SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON’S DECISION TO ADJOURN.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-N.Y. – “IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY AS SO MANY REPUBLICANS HAVE SAID ON THE BORDER AND MANY HAVE SAID ABOUT UKRAINE, YOU DON’T GO HOME FOR THREE WEEKS. IT WILL BE MUCH HARDER TO DO IN JANUARY, EVERYONE ADMITS THAT, THAN IT IS TODAY.”

[Karah Rucker]

IF ANY FUNDING DOES GET PUSHED THROUGH THE SENATE IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS THE HOUSE COULD BE CALLED BACK FOR A VOTE – BUT JOHNSON SAID IN A STATEMENT ON THURSDAY THE HOUSE WOULD NOT WAIT AROUND FOR A RUSHED PRODUCT FROM THE SENATE.