It’s debatable as to which is the real news — the new law saving air traffic control jobs across the country, or Congress passing that law in less than a week.
Either way, both happened, and now the tower at the Global TransPark will remain open, along with 148 other locations in the country, with controllers working under contract from the Federal Aviation Administration. The legislation also ends furloughs of workers in towers at busier airports.
U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Mark Udall, D-Colo., introduced S. 853 — the “Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013” — Thursday. Senators had first, second and third readings of the bill, sending it to the House of Representatives the same day by unanimous consent.
The FAA ordered contracts terminated and controller furloughs as part mandated federal budget cuts and then delayed making a final decision on staffing of air towers like the one at GTP until June.
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., co-sponsored the bill.
“The people of our state shouldn’t have to pay the price of partisan gridlock in Washington,” Hagan said in a statement. “I continue to seek bipartisan solutions that will reduce spending, grow our economy and help put North Carolinians back to work.”
The House passed the bill Friday and it now heads to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign the bill into law.
“The furlough of critical FAA controllers is quickly becoming a national crisis and now is the time to end it,” U.S. Airways CEO Doug Parker said in a statement.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.
Breakout Box
‘Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013’
S. 853
Sponsors:
U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine
U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo.
Passed Senate (Thursday), House of Representatives (Friday)
