Liberal Forum

FAA Furlough Bill Passes House To Ease Air Travel DelaysLawmakers passed a bill Friday to ease air traffic delays before catching their own flights home for a week off, leaving unchanged other painful effects of the across-the-board spending cuts mandated by Congress' sequestration law.While the legislators likely improved their chances for on-time flights when they return to work next month, cuts that are harming care for cancer patients, closing children out of preschool and ending food programs for the elderly remain in place.The sequester's knife has already slashed other programs. But faced with an outcry from the flying public over delays caused by sequester-related furloughs at the Federal Aviation Administration, the Senate acted Thursday night and the House followed suit Friday, voting 361 to 41 to give the FAA budget flexibility otherwise barred by the sequester law. The legislation allows the agency to move up to $253 million from construction accounts to operations accounts to keep air traffic controllers on the job.President Barack Obama still has to sign the measure.Read more at link in title.So these Congress critters can manage to get together and pass legislation when they and their rich cronies friends are affected.But cancer patients, and hungry children and old people can suck wind.John Boehner said he got over 98 percent of what he wanted in the sequester law, and now he's whining because he can't get to the golf course fast enough.Shame on you President Obama if you sign this bill.