NATCA Bookshelf

5-YEAR FAA REAUTHORIZATION ENACTED A five-year FAA Reauthorization bill (H.R. 302) was signed into law on October 5 following passage in Congress with bipartisan support. Enactment of a long-term FAA Reauthorization is a key part of providing long-term stability for the FAA, which NATCA has advocated for over the last several years. It supports air traffic control services, staffing, hiring and training, long-term modernization, preventative maintenance, ongoing modernization of the physical infrastructure, and maintaining services to all segments of our nation's diverse aviation community. This is the first time since 1982 that the FAA has received a full five-year reauthorization. • NATCA Impact: FAA Reauthorization allows programs at the FAA to continue, new programs to be established, and the authority to collect aviation taxes. This is separate from THUD appropriations, which provides the funding for those programs at the FAA. 1.9% FED EMPLOYEE PAY RAISE UPDATE: President Trump's "alternative pay plan" that he sent to Congress in August proposed a zero percent pay increase for federal employees in 2019, citing budget restraints as the reason. However, Congressional appropriators are working on a possible deal that would provide a 1.9% pay raise for federal civilian employees after all. With the House on recess until after the elections, this issue will continue to play out over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for updates. • NATCA Impact: NATCA advocates for federal employee pay raises. NATCA Government Affairs continues to work with leadership, members, and staff in Congress to advocate on this issue, and also takes an active role in federal employee coalitions that also advocate for federal employee pay raises. LAME DUCK CONGRESS A "lame duck" Congress describes the period between the November election and the beginning of the new Congressional session in January. During a lame duck session of Congress, Congress will be faced with consideration of government funding legislation for any appropriations bills that did not receive full-year funding before the October 1 deadline. This includes the FAA, which is operating under a CR until December 7. The scope of this year's lame duck session will largely depend on the results of which party has control of each chamber of Congress. It is possible that a partial government shutdown could occur come December 7 due to the politics surrounding funding for certain areas of the federal government, including Homeland Security and President Trump's desire for construction of a "border wall." We will provide more information in upcoming updates regarding the status of the elections and what the lame duck session will look like. LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST President Trump and the Administration could continue to issue executive actions that adversely impact federal employees. Likewise, members of Congress have and will continue to introduce anti-federal employee bills, including those that would attack the use of official time and negatively impact federal employee pay and benefits. In addition to keeping a close watch

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