Portman said “the sequester is the wrong way to address our out-of-control deficits, and I remain disappointed that legislation I supported to give the Administration the flexibility to target spending reductions and make cuts with a scalpel rather than a meat cleaver didn’t pass the Senate. It is unfortunate that the FAA has refused to use existing flexibility in its operational budget. It is even more disappointing that they have refused to ask Congress for additional flexibility, despite clear bipartisan support for a more nuanced approach to these cuts that doesn’t leave passengers and pilots stranded. By giving DOT transfer authority to shift funds from the general DOT budget over to the FAA, this commonsense, bipartisan measure will ease the burden on those traveling and ensure that our pilots and passengers do not bear the brunt of the cuts.” 

“In our vast state, Alaskans rely on air travel to get around more than anywhere else, underscoring the need for more flexibility in the FAA’s budget. This bill provides a critical fix that will allow air traffic controllers to get back to their posts,” said Begich. “While we need a balanced approach to our budget and must enforce spending cuts, we must also be responsible in how we administer them so that we are taking care of traveling families in Alaska and across the country.” 

Senator Ayotte said “it’s wrong for the traveling public to suffer because of political gamesmanship in Washington. While the FAA already has the authority to avoid these furloughs through alternative savings, this bipartisan legislation provides extra assurance against excessive delays and flight disruptions.” 

“This legislation will ensure that the FAA will be able to keep vital air traffic controllers in their seats despite recent mandatory reductions to the DOT budget,” Risch said. “Giving Secretary LaHood the flexibility that he needs to keep air traffic controllers on the job is the right thing to do and I am hopeful that this legislation will result in immediate results.” 

“American travelers and businesses shouldn’t have to take the hit for the incompetence and shocking lack of management at the FAA and the DOT,” said Coats. “It is inexcusable that the FAA and the DOT failed to plan accordingly and refused to use existing flexibility to minimize the impact on travelers. This legislation will help protect the traveling public by providing the DOT with even more flexibility to prioritize its budget something it should have been doing all along.” 

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association applauds the bipartisan efforts of Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and others who have introduced the Dependable Air Service Act. “Three days of furloughs for the nation’s air traffic controllers have proven to be just as disruptive as anticipated. Even with relatively clear weather, there have been more than 5,000 flight delays over the past three days (according to FAA data), double the amount for the same time frame one year ago. It’s now clear that these furloughs are needlessly disrupting air travel and should be rolled back at once.