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reduce the costs contained within them, and expedite the process for removing employees from federal service in performance based adverse actions. NATCA Impact: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published guidance on Thursday, July 5 advising agency heads how to implement these orders. NATCA sent out a news alert regarding the guidance, confirming that "there should be no changes to any of NATCA's agreements with the FAA – local or national – nor any changes in how they are implemented. The same is true for all current practices and procedures between the parties." Background: NATCA Government Affairs staff is continuing to meet with members of Congress and staff on Capitol Hill to educate them on the negative affects the executive orders would have on the workforce. In the meantime, both Republican and Democrat members of Congress have come out in opposition to these Executive Orders. FY 19 APPROPRIATIONS: The government is currently operating under a $1.3 trillion omnibus appropriations bill which provides funding for the federal government for the rest of this fiscal year (FY) 2018. Appropriators have been working on FY 19 appropriations bills quickly in order to advance the spending bills in a timely manner. NATCA Government Affairs staff is continuing to advocate for our funding and policy priorities each step of the way as the appropriations process continues. NATCA GA staff is also working with our allies on Capitol Hill to quickly defeat harmful amendments that are considered throughout the appropriations process. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have each approved their own versions of Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bills. The chart below shows current and proposed funding levels for FAA programs. FAA BUDGET LINE FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2019 Enacted House THUD Senate THUD Operations $10.2 billion $10.4 billion $10.4 billion Facilities & Equipment $3.25 billion $3.25 billion $3.00 billion Research, Engineering & Development $188.9 billion $180 billion $191 billion Next Steps: The House and Senate have both passed the first "minibus" of the FY 19 funding process. This bill, H.R.5895, included funding for Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. This bill passed both the House and Senate in June. The next step for the bill is a House/Senate conference committee where differences will be resolved, sent back for another vote in the House and Senate, and then sent to the President to be signed into law. The House also passed the FY 19 Defense Appropriations bill in June and the bill awaits Senate consideration. Additionally, on July 19, the House approved another "minibus" bill funding the Interior/Environment and Financial Services/General Government. The Senate is expected to consider and pass the Interior/Environment and Financial Services/General Government bill, and add two additional funding measures for Agriculture and Transportation/Treasury/Housing & Urban Development during the week of July 31. Upon Senate passage, the bill will be sent back to the House for consideration before being sent to the President to be signed into law.

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