Sequester Cuts 2013: House Votes To End Air Traffic Controllers Furlough, 361 To 41

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted 361-41 to end the furlough of air traffic controllers brought on by the 2013 sequester cuts, which has resulted in hundreds of flight delays.

The House vote came after the Senate unanimously approved a bill on Thursday night to transfer about $253 million to the Federal Aviation Administration to prevent staffing reductions.

In a statement, the FAA said more than 863 flights were delayed on Wednesday because of the furlough-related staffing reductions. The move affected flights in New York, Washington, Cleveland, Jacksonville and other areas.

The FAA was planning to implement some form of traffic management initiatives at airports and other facilities nationwide. It had told travelers to expect airport delays.

The agency is complying with a sequestration order signed by President Barack Obama last month to automatically cut government spending by $85 billion. This money is split between defense spending and domestic spending.