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FAA Shutdown Affects Jobs, Projects At Southland Airports

LOS ANGLES (CBS) — President Obama is ordering Congress to get back to work and end a partial Federal Aviation shutdown.

The shutdown comes after Congress went on vacation without approving funding legislation to keep workers on the job.

Safety is not a concern at Los Angeles International, Bob Hope or other local airports, as air traffic controllers are still working.

However, the stalemate has furloughed 4,000 FAA employees and put at least 70,000 contract employees out of work. It has also put more than 200 airport construction projects, including improvements at LAX, on hold.

Workers are now being forced to file for unemployment and dig into family savings to make ends meet.

"I don't know if I can make my rent, I don't know if I can make my car insurance," electrician's apprentice Ashley Davidson told CBS2's Kirk Hawkins.

The main sticking point in Washington is workers' rights, as Republicans want to make it harder for airline employees to unionize. They are also trying to trim subsidies for rural airport service.

Obama is now calling for both sides to return to the Capitol and resolve the dispute.

The government could lose more than $1 billion in taxes on airline tickets if standoffs last through Labor Day.

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