A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/597273
On November 3, 2015 , NATCA requested a briefing regarding t he Denial of Access to Certain FAA Systems. We are currently waiting for a response from the Agency regarding our request . NATCA POCs: Labor Relations Attorney Greg Shoemaker and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE : The House and Senate were in session last week. Both chambers are in session again this week before breaking for the Veterans Day recess. BUDGET DEAL HEADS TO WHITE HOUSE : Following rapid negotiations between Congressional leaders and the White House, House and Senate lawmakers from both sides of the aisle passed a $80 billion budget deal ( H.R. 1314 ) that would set budget levels for the next two years and lift the debt ceiling until 2017. In the House, the final vote was 266 to 167, with 79 Republicans joining every Democrat in pas sage. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 64 to 35 in the early hours of Friday morning. The budget agreement has been sent to the President for signature. SEQUESTRATION RELIEF : The two - year budget agreement would increase discretionary spending by $8 0 billion above sequester - level spending caps. The increase would be split between defense and non - defense programs. Sequester relief of $50 billion would be applied to Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 and $30 billion for FY 2017. The deal would push the most controv ersial fights over government spending and other fiscal issues to beyond next year's elections, giving lawmakers some breathing room to avoid political infighting in the next two years. Appropriations committees still have their work cut out to wrap up FY1 6 spending before the current resolution (CR) expires on December 11. See below for more information on the appropriations process as well as background on sequestration. APPROPRIATIONS STILL NEEDED : As a reminder, some sort of omnibus or other smaller a ppropriation bills will still need to be enacted by December 11 to avoid a government shutdown. Appropriators have begun the process of working on topline numbers so that subcommittees can start their work. The budget agreement gives House and Senate appro priators six weeks to put together a spending package, and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer hopes that much of the work can be wrapped up ahead of time before the Thanksgiving recess. For more details about Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (TH UD) appropriations, see below. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LIKELY AVERTED…BUT STILL POSSIBLE : P assage of the budget deal is potentially a big step toward preventing a government shutdown when the CR expires on December 11, but as stated above, it does not mean t hat a shutdown is entirely off the table. The budget deal would create a clear path to avoid this scenario, primarily by lifting sequestration caps, as well as mandating parity between defense and non - defense spending. With those two big issues addressed, it is likely that the appropriations process will be smoother than normal, but not without the usual political infighting that has plagued the current Congress.