Senate Reached Agreement To Avoid FAA Shutdown

The Senate has reached an agreement to avoid forcing another shutdown of FAA — a day before funding was set to expire. Action on the bill had been blocked by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who objected to funding for bike paths and walking trails in the bill. But negotiations late Thursday helped cleared the way for its passage. Coburn dropped his protest in exchange for promises from Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) that the funding requirement will be removed later. The bill extends FAA's operating authority through January and extends highway and transit programs as well as the federal gasoline tax through March.