Safe and Reliable Air Travel Act of 2013

Summary: Safe and Reliable Air Travel Act of 2013 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to exempt from reduction, under any sequestration ordered by the President, funds made available for the operation of: (1) air traffic control towers by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including compensation paid to FAA air traffic control personnel; and (2) contract air traffic control towers.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe and Reliable Air Travel Act of 
2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Sequestration is having a devastating effect on the 
        Nation's air traffic control system.
            (2) Sequestration imposes a reduction in funding of $637 
        million on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the 
        remainder of fiscal year 2013.
            (3) The FAA plans to furlough the vast majority of the 
        FAA's nearly 47,000 employees, including nearly 15,000 air 
        traffic controllers, for approximately one day during each two-
        week pay period in order to comply with sequestration.
            (4) The furloughs began on Sunday, April 21, 2013, and are 
        scheduled to continue through the end of the fiscal year on 
        September 30, 2013. Approximately 10 percent of the FAA's air 
        traffic controllers are expected to be on furlough on any given 
        day during this period.
            (5) The furloughs are causing hundreds of flights to be 
        delayed, resulting in scheduling difficulties for airlines and 
        inconveniences for passengers.
            (6) The FAA reported that approximately 400 flights were 
        delayed nationwide on April 21, 2013, as a result of the 
        furloughs.
            (7) The FAA reported that more than 1,200 flights were 
        delayed nationwide on April 22, 2013, as a result of the 
        furloughs.
            (8) More delays are expected in the coming months during 
        the peak summer travel season.
            (9) The effects of multiple flight delays at airports 
        across the Nation can be compounded as delays at one airport 
        cause planes to arrive late at other airports and also cause 
        passengers to miss connecting flights.
            (10) Air carriers operating in United States air space 
        transport more than 700 million passengers every year.
            (11) Civil aviation accounts for 10 million jobs, is 
        responsible for more than 5 percent of the United States gross 
        domestic product, and contributes $1.3 trillion to the economy 
        every year.
            (12) Businesses of all sizes depend upon a reliable 
        commercial air transportation system. Business travelers 
        account for millions of trips each month.
            (13) Flight delays for business travelers interfere with 
        business plans and result in business meetings being delayed, 
        cancelled, or missed.
            (14) Flight delays affecting the transportation of air 
        cargo also interfere with business.
            (15) The Nation's economy depends upon a reliable 
        commercial air transportation system.
            (16) The FAA also plans to close 149 air traffic control 
        towers at small airports across the Nation on June 15, 2013, in 
        order to comply with sequestration. Despite their size, these 
        airports are an important part of the Nation's air 
        transportation system and economy.
            (17) Air traffic control is a critical government function 
        that is necessary to ensure the safety of air travel and the 
        flying public.
            (18) Inadequate staffing of airport control towers poses a 
        serious threat to public safety.
            (19) Without the service of experienced air traffic 
        controllers in all of the Nation's Federal air traffic control 
        towers, there is an increased risk of accidents involving 
        planes during departure, flight, and landing. Such accidents 
        could result in a tragic loss of life.
            (20) The sequestration of funds associated with the 
        operation of air traffic control towers by the FAA interferes 
        with the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the Nation's 
        air transportation system.
            (21) The operation of air traffic control towers by the 
        FAA, including the compensation paid to air traffic control 
        personnel employed by the FAA, should be exempted from 
        sequestration.

SEC. 3. EXEMPTION FROM SEQUESTRATION FOR OPERATION OF AIR TRAFFIC 
              CONTROL TOWERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 255 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 905) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection:
    ``(k) Operation of Air Traffic Control Towers.--The following funds 
shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this part:
            ``(1) Funds made available for the operation of air traffic 
        control towers by the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        including compensation paid to air traffic control personnel 
        employed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
            ``(2) Funds made available for the operation of contract 
        air traffic control towers under section 47124 of title 49, 
        United States Code.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by section 1 shall apply to 
the Presidential sequestration order for fiscal year 2013 issued under 
section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 
of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a) and any subsequent sequestration order issued 
under that Act.