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A Letter Urging Congressional Action On Extending PSP

A Letter Urging Congressional Action On Extending PSP

October 07, 2020

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy and Leader Schumer,

We are disappointed that negotiations between Congress and the Administration over additional COVID-19 relief were suddenly suspended yesterday.

As leaders representing airline labor unions, U.S. airlines, and trade associations representing the travel industry, we are frustrated that an agreement could not be reached to provide support to people suffering from the impact of the pandemic while also being relied upon to drive the economic recovery from this health crisis. Since early summer, we have called for a COVID relief package that would address the dire economic consequences facing the entire transportation sector. Airline workers are already experiencing the impact of inaction and simply cannot wait any longer for federal aid. Leadership in both chambers and both parties have indicated support for supporting our nation’s aviation workforce.

There continues to be strong, broad, and bipartisan willingness to protect jobs and livelihoods in the airline industry by extending the successful Payroll Support Program (PSP), which was part of the CARES Act. Unfortunately, efforts to do so did not come to fruition before the program expired on

Sept. 30. As a result, several U.S. airlines had no choice but to move forward with tens of thousands of furloughs last week, and many more job losses are expected across the industry in the weeks ahead if the PSP is not extended.

Now, in the absence of an overall COVID-19 relief package, we urge you to advance standalone legislation to extend the PSP.

Both the Senate and the House have introduced bills that would protect airline jobs and air service through an extension of the PSP. Overwhelming majorities in both chambers support doing so. Notably, leadership in both chambers have already taken steps to advance the legislation. During circumstances as dire and significant as these, an idea that enjoys resounding support from majorities in both parties and in both houses of Congress should not fail. We call on leaders to resolve any procedural issues and proceed as quickly as possible to extend the PSP in time to preserve this extremely effective and efficient jobs and infrastructure program.

With tens of thousands of jobs on the line, not to mention air service to communities across the country, we simply will not rest until we pursue every available option to its fullest extent. Until then, we remain hopeful that you and your colleagues can work quickly and collaboratively to ensure airlines and the workers they employ are in a ready position to enable our nation’s recovery from the pandemic.

We, as before, stand ready and willing to work with you to see this through. Respectfully,

Air Line Pilots Association
Airlines for America
Allied Pilots Association
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
Association of Professional Flight Attendants
Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers International Brotherhood of Teamsters
National Air Carrier Association
Regional Airline Association
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association Transport Workers Union
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO

CC:

  • Representative Peter DeFazio
  • Representative Sam Graves
  • Senator Roger Wicker
  • Senator Maria Cantwell