Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) released the following statement today upon passage of the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 (H.R. 1765 ), a bill to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can end furloughs of air traffic controllers. The bill passed the House by a vote of 361 to 41.
“Although the FAA already had the necessary flexibility to implement the sequester in a responsible manner, this legislation ensures beyond a shadow of a doubt that the agency now has more than enough capacity to end air traffic controller furloughs, stop the pain for the traveling public, and protect the economy.
“Without giving the FAA any additional funding, the bill allows the Secretary of Transportation to transfer funds already in other FAA accounts, which the agency can use to avoid reductions in operations and staffing. This measure will force a stop to these needless furloughs. FAA also has the discretion to use this funding to keep air traffic control contract towers open.
“Throughout this process, my House and Senate colleagues and I insisted that we put the American people first. I’m glad that all parties came together in the end to do that."
Source: House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
