I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1766 

To amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 

to eliminate the application of the sequestration to funds associated 

with the operation of air traffic control towers, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 26, 2013 

Ms. WATERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Budget 

A BILL 

To amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to eliminate the application of the 

sequestration to funds associated with the operation of 

air traffic control towers, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe and Reliable Air 

5 Travel Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Sequestration is having a devastating effect 

2 on the Nation’s air traffic control system. 

3 (2) Sequestration imposes a reduction in fund4 ing of $637 million on the Federal Aviation Admin5 istration (FAA) for the remainder of fiscal year 

6 2013. 

7 (3) The FAA plans to furlough the vast major8 ity of the FAA’s nearly 47,000 employees, including 

9 nearly 15,000 air traffic controllers, for approxi10 mately one day during each two-week pay period in 

11 order to comply with sequestration. 

12 (4) The furloughs began on Sunday, April 21, 

13 2013, and are scheduled to continue through the end 

14 of the fiscal year on September 30, 2013. Approxi15 mately 10 percent of the FAA’s air traffic control16 lers are expected to be on furlough on any given day 

17 during this period. 

18 (5) The furloughs are causing hundreds of 

19 flights to be delayed, resulting in scheduling difficul20 ties for airlines and inconveniences for passengers. 

21 (6) The FAA reported that approximately 400 

22 flights were delayed nationwide on April 21, 2013, 

23 as a result of the furloughs. 


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1 (7) The FAA reported that more than 1,200 

2 flights were delayed nationwide on April 22, 2013, 

3 as a result of the furloughs. 

4 (8) More delays are expected in the coming 

5 months during the peak summer travel season. 

6 (9) The effects of multiple flight delays at air7 ports across the Nation can be compounded as 

8 delays at one airport cause planes to arrive late at 

9 other airports and also cause passengers to miss 

10 connecting flights. 

11 (10) Air carriers operating in United States air 

12 space transport more than 700 million passengers 

13 every year. 

14 (11) Civil aviation accounts for 10 million jobs, 

15 is responsible for more than 5 percent of the United 

16 States gross domestic product, and contributes $1.3 

17 trillion to the economy every year. 

18 (12) Businesses of all sizes depend upon a reli19 able commercial air transportation system. Business 

20 travelers account for millions of trips each month. 

21 (13) Flight delays for business travelers inter22 fere with business plans and result in business meet23 ings being delayed, cancelled, or missed. 

24 (14) Flight delays affecting the transportation 

25 of air cargo also interfere with business. 


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1 (15) The Nation’s economy depends upon a re2 liable commercial air transportation system. 

3 (16) The FAA also plans to close 149 air traf4 fic control towers at small airports across the Nation 

5 on June 15, 2013, in order to comply with seques6 tration. Despite their size, these airports are an im7 portant part of the Nation’s air transportation sys8 tem and economy. 

9 (17) Air traffic control is a critical government 

10 function that is necessary to ensure the safety of air 

11 travel and the flying public. 

12 (18) Inadequate staffing of airport control tow13 ers poses a serious threat to public safety. 

14 (19) Without the service of experienced air traf15 fic controllers in all of the Nation’s Federal air traf16 fic control towers, there is an increased risk of acci17 dents involving planes during departure, flight, and 

18 landing. Such accidents could result in a tragic loss 

19 of life. 

20 (20) The sequestration of funds associated with 

21 the operation of air traffic control towers by the 

22 FAA interferes with the safety, reliability, and effi23 ciency of the Nation’s air transportation system. 

24 (21) The operation of air traffic control towers 

25 by the FAA, including the compensation paid to air 


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1 traffic control personnel employed by the FAA, 

2 should be exempted from sequestration. 

3 SEC. 3. EXEMPTION FROM SEQUESTRATION FOR OPER4 ATION OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWERS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 255 of the Balanced 

6 Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 

7 U.S.C. 905) is amended by adding at the end the following 

8 new subsection: 

9 ‘‘(k) OPERATION OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOW10 ERS.—The following funds shall be exempt from reduction 

11 under any order issued under this part: 

12 ‘‘(1) Funds made available for the operation of 

13 air traffic control towers by the Federal Aviation 

14 Administration, including compensation paid to air 

15 traffic control personnel employed by the Federal 

16 Aviation Administration. 

17 ‘‘(2) Funds made available for the operation of 

18 contract air traffic control towers under section 

19 47124 of title 49, United States Code.’’. 

20 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

21 section 1 shall apply to the Presidential sequestration 

22 order for fiscal year 2013 issued under section 251A of 

23 the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 


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1 of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a) and any subsequent sequestra2 tion order issued under that Act. 

Æ 


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