Booker Responds to Secretary Duffy’s Visit to Newark Airport

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), released the following statement in response to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's event at Newark Liberty International Airport:

"The government is shut down because President Trump and Republicans refuse to negotiate with Democrats on a funding bill that can pass the Senate and addresses the crisis of skyrocketing health care costs that they have single handedly manufactured. Until Republicans and Trump come to the negotiating table, they will own every damaging repercussion for their shutdown at our airports and across the country.

"The Trump Administration has laid off several hundred FAA staff and made the challenges facing FAA workers and airline passengers worse long before Republicans shut down the government.

"Now, Trump's shutdown raises further concerns about our aviation system at a time when our air traffic controllers are already severely understaffed and operating with aging and faulty equipment. This is a problem that the USDOT and the FAA have contributed to by firing FAA staff and not adequately investing in our air traffic controllers and a modern aviation system. The Trump Administration is responsible for ensuring safety including maintaining and supporting safety-critical positions-like the air traffic controllers in Newark and across the country.

"The solution to these problems isn't Republican press-conferences: it's for the Trump administration and Senate Republicans to do their job and meet Democrats at the negotiating table to craft a funding bill that will lower health care costs for millions of Americans and re-open the government."