FAA workers are screwed. With the debt-limit deal out of the way – it’s time for Congress to resolve the FAA funding impasse right? No. Instead of figuring out a way to restore full funding to the agency in charge of making sure our airplanes don’t fall out of the sky – and also figuring out a way to get 4,000 furloughed FAA employees back to work – Republicans are going on vacation.

That’s right – they’re taking 5 weeks off – meaning the FAA will be sputtering along through Labor Day while Republicans yuck it up in their home districts. With the FAA shutdown – airline safety inspectors are working extended hours without pay – and $2.5 billion in transportation projects are on hold – meaning another 100,000 construction workers are out of a job too. Not only that – as Republicans scream about deficits – our government is losing out on $200 million a week in uncollected airline ticket taxes.

Let’s hope it never happens – but if a plane goes down this month – call Speaker Boehner.