Booker Responds to Secretary Duffy’s Visit to EWR

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 Trump and Republicans refuse to negotiate with Democrats on a funding bill that can pass the Senate and addresses the crisis of skyrocketing healthcare 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 hundreds and hundreds of FAA staff, failed to invest in our traffic controllers and aviation technology, 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 controllers are already understaffed and operating with aging and faulty equipment-this is a problem that the USDOT and the FAA have caused by firing FAA staff and not adequately investing in our air traffic controllers and a modern aviation system. The Trump Administration is ultimately responsible for ensuring safety including maintaining and supporting safety-critical positions-like the air traffic controllers in Newark and across the country."