Senate Bill Ends Air Traffic Controller Furloughs
The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to end the furloughs of air traffic controllers. This should halt a long series of flight delays that have threatened to gridlock the ability of airlines to have on-time flights. In some cases, carriers have had to cancel service.
Fox News reported on the Senate bill to end the furloughs:
The bill passed late Thursday without even a roll call vote, and House officials indicated it likely would be brought up for quick approval there.
Under the legislation, the Federal Aviation Administration would gain authority to transfer up to $253 million from accounts that are flush into other programs, to "prevent reduced operations and staffing" through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.
In addition to restoring full staffing by controllers, Senate officials said the available funds should be ample enough to prevent the closure of small airport towers around the country. The FAA has said it will shut the facilities as it makes its share of $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts - known as the sequester - that took effect last month at numerous government agencies.
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