NATCA Bookshelf

N A T I O N A L A I R T R A F F I C C O N T R O L L E R S A S S O C I A T I O N | W W W . N AT C A . O R G N i W To d a y 1 N i W O v e r v i e w Welcome Brothers and Sisters, Welcome to NATCA in Washington 2024! For those of you who are attending NATCA in Washington for the first time, thank you for choosing to participate in this important event. And for the members in the room who are participating in NATCA in Washington again, thank you for your continued commitment to championing our issues with members of Congress. Since we last came together for this event, we have experienced a year filled with legislative challenges that continue to have serious implications for our Union. We faced the threat of a government shutdown multiple times before Congress passed an appropriations bill on March 8 to fund the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through Sept. 30, 2024. Additionally, as of this writing, Congress has not yet passed a long-term FAA reauthorization bill. A third, short-term extension to FAA's authorization was signed into law on March 8 and expires on May 10. NATCA is cautiously optimistic Congress will pass a five-year FAA reauthorization bill prior to the May 10 deadline – or, at minimum, another short-term extension. However, if a long-term bill is not agreed to, we must be prepared to continue our outreach and advocacy to legislators and their staffs on Capitol Hill. Messaging our top priorities directly to policy makers in Congress is a critical part of achieving legislative success for our Union. That is where you come in. We will work with you this week to ensure you understand the issues, from staffing and training to modernization and funding. This briefing book and the training you will receive during NATCA in Washington will prepare you and your fellow activists to represent our Union by presenting a consistent message and a unified front. Each of you will be prepared to speak with one clear voice so that every member of Congress understands what our priorities are as a Union. You also will be given the tools and training you need to build and maintain relationships with members of Congress and, just as importantly, their staffs. Congressional staff play a pivotal role in the legislative process. Developing and maintaining strong relationships with them is as important as getting to know your Senators and Representatives to effectively advocate for our Union. NATCA in Washington also will feature remarks from some of the leading voices in politics and government. Their insight into how we must move forward to succeed will be invaluable. Finally, remember that your most important resource could be sitting right next to you. Please take the time to learn from each other by asking questions and sharing your experiences. Many of you at NATCA in Washington are veterans while others are here for the first time. Support each other during this process and be open to discovering innovative ways to be effective activists. In Solidarity, A n d re w L e B o v i d g e Executive Vice President R i c h S a n t a President Rich Santa President Andrew LeBovidge Executive Vice President

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