Congress passed a temporary measure to prevent furloughs and reduced operations at the Federal Aviation Administration,

which this week had caused air traffic control delays across the United States. The Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013, which on Thursday passed unanimously in the Senate and on Friday passed in the House of Representatives, specifies that the Secretary of Transportation can transfer up to $250 million during fiscal year 2013 "to ensure a safe and efficient air transportation system," which also would prevent closures of air traffic control towers at more than 150 smaller airports. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the bill "will force the administration to stop these needless furloughs and to make sure the airline industry is functioning and our economy is growing." Several other representatives called the bill a "Band-Aid."