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Partial FAA Shutdown Enters Second Week As Congress Eyes Summer Break

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Will Congressional lawmakers jump on the next plane for their summer getaway without funding the nation's airliner authority?

A partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration entered its tenth day on Monday with little signs of progress before Congress adjourns for the rest of the summer.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told KNX 1070's Charles Feldman that lawmakers to delay their vacation until they come up with a stopgap solution.

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"My message today is Congress should not leave on its summer vacation until they finish an FAA bill," said LaHood.

An estimated 4,000 FAA workers are still not getting paid amid the ongoing shutdown, while an estimated 70,000 independent construction workers who had been engaged in airport projects have been put off the job indefinitely.

Before Republicans and Democrats were anywhere near an agreement on raising the U.S. debt limit, local contractors here in the Southland were feeling the pain: the FAA shutdown had cut off an estimated $370 million in projects at regional airports.

Despite closing in on an deal to avert a catastrophic U.S. default, however, Congress remains deadlocked over the funding bill after having previously approved 20 separate stopgap measures.

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