Thu, Aug 04, 2011
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) Talks Settlement
Details are still very sketchy, but multiple media sources are
saying that a bipartisan compromise has been reached to end the
partial shutdown of the FAA.
Multiple media sources including CBS News report that Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid made a statement earlier today
(Thursday) saying that the deal had been reached. "I am pleased to
announce that we have been able to broker a bipartisan compromise
between the House and the Senate to put 74,000 transportation and
construction workers back to work," Reid said in a statement. "This
agreement does not resolve the important differences that still
remain. But I believe we should keep Americans working while
Congress settles its differences, and this agreement will do
exactly that."
About 4000 FAA employees have been idled since July 23rd when
the most recent continuing resolution ran out. About
200 airport construction projects were also shut down while
members of Congress haggled, affecting over 70,000 workers.
Some sources speaking on condition of anonymity say the Senate
will accept a House-passed measure as early as Friday. It includes
cuts to some rural airport subsidies. It does not address the
ongoing labor dispute between Fed-Ex and UPS.
In a statement, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said
"This is a tremendous victory for American workers everywhere. From
construction workers to our FAA employees, they will have the
security of knowing they are going to go back to work and get a
paycheck - and that's what we've been fighting for. We have the
best aviation system in the world and we intend to keep it that
way."
Congress will still have to work on a more comprehensive
long-term FAA reauthorization bill when it returns from its August
recess.
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