Says FAA Had The Needed Flexibility All Along

The FAA already had the necessary flexibility to keep controllers on the job and contract towers open, but chose not to do so, according to House Transportation  Committee chair Bill Shuster (R-PA). His remarks came in a statement following Friday's passage of the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 (H.R. 1765), which 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," Shuster (pictured) said.
 
“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.”

The FAA said in a statement Saturday that it has suspended all employee furloughs, and that  air traffic facilities would begin to return to regular staffing levels with the system resuming normal operations by Sunday evening.

FMI: http://transportation.house.gov