Arlington, Va. – Eric K. Fanning, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, issued the following statement urging Congress to find a long-term solution to keep the government funded:
“It’s encouraging to see Congress came to a short-term bipartisan solution that will fund the government through Dec. 3, but the aerospace and defense (A&D) industries, along with others, require more long-term certainty to plan for the future. We need a bipartisan solution that will provide the consistency and stability necessary to address critical issues, such as the pandemic’s ongoing impact on the nation, businesses, and the workforce; the debt limit; and threats to America’s economy and security.
“Like other industries, COVID-19 took a serious toll on the A&D workforce and the thousands of small- and medium-sized businesses along the supply chain that are at the heart of the defense industrial base. Those people and businesses throughout the country play a key role in growing our economy and keeping America safe and secure at home and abroad. More than ever, businesses across all industries need predictability and consistency.
“A&D businesses are essential to the American economy, employing 2.2 million people in high-skill, high-wage jobs. However, those businesses and the workforce cannot fully execute their critical missions to enhance the flying public’s safety, sustain American leadership in space, and develop cutting-edge equipment to ensure the nation’s security at home and abroad, while the federal government moves from one preventable crisis to the next.”
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