A U.S. Senator from New York is behind legislation to get air traffic controllers back on the job.
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says the legislation would close a tax loophole for corporate jets, which could fund the reinstatement of air traffic controllers nationwide. Sequester cuts forced the Federal Aviation Administration to furlough air traffic controllers across the county, and Gillibrand notes more than 1,200 flight delays Monday are being attributed to the furloughs. To combat this, the senator is introducing legislation to fully fund the FAA’s operations for the remainder of 2013. She says that instead of protecting tax breaks for wealthy corporate jet owners, commercial air travel should be kept fully operational.