The grant program referenced in that story is funded exclusively by a specific tax on airline tickets. It does not come out of the same federal budget as the operating expenses of the federal government.
I agree that the spending priorities in DC are completely cattywompus but the aviation grant program is not a good example. It does, in fact, with designated funding, help with the maintenance and improvement of the aviation infrastructure. If the grant program is to be eliminated, they need to eliminate the ticket tax which funds it at the same time.
The entire US government, all three branches, should be tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail.