Klobuchar pleased with Senate vote on FAA furloughs

The U.S. Senate has passed a measure that would help the FAA avoid flight delays caused by staffing furloughs among air traffic controllers,

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., says the deal is important to Minnesota, because of the Delta hub at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Aiport, and the need for air service to other cities in the state.

Such adjustments to the so-called sequester have been made regularly since the across-the-board budget cuts took effect. Klobuchar said the changes are steps towards a larger budget deal that would replace the sequestration cuts. The negotiations will continue in the weeks to come.

"The deal is there, the combination of closing off some of these loopholes, bringing in some revenue. We did it at the end of the year, it wasn't pretty, but we got it done, and we have to do something like that again," she said.

The deal will likely require some spending cuts, but ones that differ from the sequester, Klobuchar said.