President Barack Obama signed into law legislation giving the Federal Aviation Administration authority to shift funds to eliminate air-traffic controller furloughs, the White House announced.
The furloughs were suspended April 27 following congressional passage of the measure to let the FAA work around across-the-board spending cuts that kicked in last month. The law lets the FAA move as much as $253 million within its budget to end furloughs, or unpaid days off.
It also gives the FAA enough flexibility to avert the planned June 15 closing of 149 small-airport control towers operated by agency contractors.
The House cleared the legislation 361-41 April 26 after the Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill the previous night.
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