The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) says that the automatic budget cuts related to the sequester have forced them to furlough air traffic controllers. 149 air-traffic control towers across the U.S. were set to close to help save money. The FAA reports that the imposed budget cuts have delayed thousands of flights a day.
The FAA has to cope with $637 million worth of cuts. "We refuse to sacrifice safety even if it means less efficient operations," said FAA administrator Michael Huerta.
While Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid proposed stopping the cuts by saying that curbed spending in Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted in savings, Republicans say this is an accounting gimmick.
Meanwhile, the House has passed a measure to stop these furloughs at the FAA and sent it to President Obama for a signature. The Senate also voted yesterday to give the Department of Transportation the ability to transfer $250 million to the FAA. Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, said that Obama will sign the bill.
[CBS, image via Brendan Howard / Shutterstock]