Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) have proposed new legislation aiming to give the Transportation Department power to inject cash into air-traffic controllers undergoing furloughs, according to a Washington Post article.
Citing a statement from Klobuchar, Josh Hicks writes the Dependable Air Service Act intends to help the Federal Aviation Administration continue operating air traffic controllers to ensure passenger safety, uninterrupted flights and functional aviation system.
The automatic budget cuts that came into effect in March will slash $637 million from the FAA’s budget this year, forcing the agency to furlough employees beginning Monday, according to the report.
Hoeven said the Transportation Department could “mitigate some of the $206 million reduction to air traffic controllers.â€
According to the FAA, some 1,500 air-traffic controller furloughs have affected more than 1,200 flights, with an estimated 6,700 daily delayed flights due to budget constraints.
