But A Partisan Undercurrent Could Still Threaten A Long-Term Solution

ANN Realtime Update 1415 EDT 08.08.11: The U.S. Senate has passed the House version of the FAA Continuing Resolution by unanimous consent, the only way the bill could be passed with many senators already in their home states for the congressional recess.

Under the procedure, it only requires two senators in the chamber to pass a bill, as long as there is no objection. The passage took less than a minute on the Senate floor.

CNN reports that President Obama is expected to sign the measure yet today (Friday). He said it resolves "the uncertainty hanging over the jobs of thousands of hardworking FAA employees."

Original Story: There is widespread support across the industry and government for the deal reached Thursday to extend funding for the FAA for a 21st time since 2007, but the politics and finger-pointing which has caused a four-year delay in passing a long-term bill does not seem to have abated.

Under the terms of the agreement, which is expected to be approved today (Friday), the Senate has largely accepted the package passed by the House about two weeks ago, but Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has the authority to waive provisions which would cut subsidies for some rural airports. Senate Democrats had balked at the loss of the "Essential Air Services" payments which can reach $1,000 per passenger.

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison  (pictured), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, called the deal "very welcome news."

"I look forward to the FAA once again resuming regular operations," Hutchison said, "which will benefit travelers, airports, affected businesses and most importantly, allow furloughed FAA employees to get back to work. The House should now appoint conferees for the FAA authorization so that we can avoid a re-occurrence of this regrettable situation."

"The FAA is back in business, and 74,000 American workers are back on the job. Work remains to be done to resolve the underlying issues. But this is great news on a day when other economic news has not been great. Today's temporary resolution of the FAA shutdown is a small but positive step for our economy and for our nation's vital infrastructure," said Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), a Member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Congressional Urban Caucus.

Labor groups were more partisan in their assessment of the deal. Teamsters President Jim Hoffa likened the Republican-led House bill as "hostage taking."

"I applaud the Senate and Secretary LaHood for their willingness to put the public interest first," Hoffa said. "But this hostage-taking has to stop. House Republicans can't continue to threaten the well-being of our country for petty partisan advantage. Our elected officials should not be forcing Americans out of work to settle political scores."

Hoffa said in a statement that, in his view, the dispute between the House and Senate over air service for small communities masked the real reason lawmakers couldn't agree on funding the FAA. Republicans want to repeal "a commonsense change in the union election rule implemented by the National Mediation Board last year. The rule no longer counts absent voters as "no" votes. As a result, union elections are now just like every other election in a democracy. But because Republican leaders oppose workers' rights, safety and modernization projects are halted and people are losing their jobs.

"I'm also pleased that the Senate is standing firm on the basic democratic principle that the majority rules in a union election for airline workers," Hoffa said. "If House members were elected by the same system they want to impose on airline workers, none of them would be in office today."

The head of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA was more measured in her remarks. "We applaud Senate Majority Leader Reid for his bipartisan effort to get 75,000 hardworking women and men back to work and finally put an end this shutdown," said AFA president Veda Shook (pictured). "The work they do for our nation's transportation system is vital to the future of our members' jobs and the communities we live in.

"Additionally, AFA appreciates the work of U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood whose tireless championing of the agency's employees and their vital work was the voice of reason in a sea of insanity.

"Over the past two weeks, the FAA has lost nearly $400 million in revenue that could have supported essential projects. It is shameful that in such difficult economic times, several Congressional leaders chose to play games and jeopardize the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Americans and their families as well as the long-term viability of the aviation industry. This shutdown was irresponsible and reckless.

"We look forward to the re-opening of FAA and the ability for all those affected to return to work. However, this extension is a temporary solution. When Congress reconvenes, they must get serious and pass a comprehensive funding bill that allows the FAA to move forward on vital safety and airport improvement projects that will help to enhance the world's greatest aviation system."

“Airports are thrilled with the news that Senate Majority Leader Reid has brokered a deal to get the FAA up and running again," said Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Greg Principato (pictured). "While airport projects across this nation have been delayed or postponed, and for some the construction season has been lost, it is great that thousands of construction personnel can get back to work. We also look forward to having our colleagues at the FAA back on the job working in partnership with airports to improve the safety, security and efficiency of the best aviation system in the world.”

While many members of the Senate have already left Washington's heat and humidity for their summer recess, the bill can be approved Friday using a process called "unanimous consent." The Associated Press reports that Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), who had blocked several attempts at passage of the bill before the recess, has said he will not stand in the way of passage of the continuing resolution. Congressman John Mica (R-FL), who chairs the House committee responsible for writing the legislation, reportedly had no comment.

FMI: http://fattah.house.gov/, www.teamsters.org, www.afacwa.org, http://coburn.senate.gov, http://hutchison.senate.gov