Obama Can't Sign FAA Relief Bill Until This Typo Is Corrected

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Congress last week approved a bill ending the Federal Aviation Administration’s furlough on air traffic controllers, TheBlaze reported. 

The measure passed with the overwhelming support of both chambers and it now sits on President Obama’s desk awaiting his signature.

But he can’t sign it. Not just yet.

The bill contains a typo (specifically, a missing “S”) that must first be corrected.

“President Obama had planned to immediately sign it into law, but administration officials [say] he’s not expected to sign it until Tuesday — after a spelling error in the legislation is fixed,” ABC News reports.

Yes, a typo is holding up the bill.

CNN has more on what word, exactly, has the typo:

The holdup was caused by an "s" missing from uses of the word "accounts." The bill gives the FAA permission to move money from other accounts to prevent having to furlough controllers. But the way the Senate version of the bill read would have limited the source of funds to an "account."

“The legislation gave the Transportation Secretary the authority to shift $253 million to the air traffic control system from an airport improvement fund,” the report adds.

“The measure was pushed so quickly, parts of the legislation were actually handwritten,” according to a copy of the bill obtained by ABC News. “With Congress out of town this week for recess, aides tell ABC News that a procedural correction will be made to the bill to send it to the White House for the president’s signature.”

Typo aside, and ABC News’ Jeff Zeleny noticed this as well, Congress’ FAA relief bill raises two interesting and obvious questions.

“If lawmakers can act so swiftly to make frequent fliers happy – and to ensure their own flights are on time — can they move faster on other issues?” writes Zeleny.

“And if the sequester can be tinkered with on this matter, is it really as dire and as inflexible as it once seemed?” he asks.

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