A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/1104355
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE The House and Senate will be in recess the weeks of April 15 and April 22. HOUSE T&I APPROVES H.R. 1108 The House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee passed H.R. 1108 on Wednesday, March 27 by unanimous consent. H.R. 1108 now needs to be considered by the House Ways & Means Committee in order to move forward. Since introduction of the bill, the NLC, NATCA activists, and Government Affairs (GA) staff have been aggressively working to encourage members of Congress to sign on as co-sponsors to this important legislation. The legislation has faced hurdles and political challenges, especially among members of the House Appropriations Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee. Despite that, the legislation has garnered over 140 bipartisan co-sponsors so far. NATCA will continue to support H.R. 1108. Background: If enacted, this legislation would ensure that the aviation system continues to fully operate, without interruption, in the event of a government shutdown. H.R. 1108 was introduced by Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Chairman of the House T&I Committee, and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee. The lead Republican on the legislation is Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), a senior member of the House T&I Committee. This legislation was introduced following the 35-day government shutdown that wreaked havoc on the National Airspace System and its workforce. FAA FUNDING STATUS The FAA is currently funded until the end of the fiscal year, through Sept. 30, 2019. House and Senate Appropriations Committees have begun work on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations cycle. NATCA GA staff is advocating for full funding for the FAA in our relevant Congressional appropriations bills in the House and Senate (the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bills, "THUD"). House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has vowed that the House will pass all appropriations bills by June 30. TRUMP BUDGET PROPOSAL The White House sent its FY 2020 budget proposal to Congress on March 11. This proposal is largely a symbolic document that lays out the Trump Administration's governing and funding priorities. It is non-binding and Congress, which regularly dismisses the President's budget proposal, still needs to work through the appropriations process. NATCA will continue to adamantly oppose attacks on federal employees, and advocate for policy positions and funding levels that support our membership. POTENTIAL SEQUESTRATION CUTS This will be a challenging year for federal spending. In February 2018, Congress passed a two-year budget agreement that removes domestic spending caps and prevents