A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/597273
At this time, the committee hopes to introduce th eir version of an FAA Reauthorization bill this fall. NATCA President Paul Rinaldi and EVP Trish Gilbert, along with GA staff, continue to work closely with House and Senate committee staff to discuss NATCA's priorities for the FAA reauthorization bill. Up date : Both the House and Senate transportation authorizing committees have been preoccupied with work on the surface transportation authorization bill, which must be completed before the committees can move forward with their FAA authorization proposals. B oth chambers have approved versions of a six - year surface transportation reauthorization proposal. In the House version, Chairman Shuster still needs to find revenue that would pay for the proposal, which must come from the House Ways and Means Committee. In the meantime, a short - term bill has passed the House and Senate to extend surface transportation programs until November 20 in order to give lawmakers three more weeks to work on the long - term bill. As soon as Congress is able to finish the highway bil l, there is greater likelihood that FAA Reauthorization will have a path forward to introduction and passage in the House. COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT 2016 NATCA WALL CALENDAR UPDATE: We are in the editing stage of our draft 2016 calendar and remain on track to go to the printer soon. Each facility will receive a shipment of calendars for their members. Look for your copy in early December. RELOADED T - SHIRT CONTEST THIS MONTH ! All thr oughout the month of November, share y our #NATCAPRIDE on Facebook and Instagram! Post a photo of yourself in your NATCA shirt with the tag #NATCAPRIDE on the Reloaded Facebook page . At the end of the month , winners will be chosen fr om each region. Click on this link to see the flyer for contest rules and details! STAFFING SHORTAGE: Last week, we continued to work to maintain momentum on our comprehensive and successful media campaign to draw attention to new data that shows how critical the nationwide contr oller staffing shortage has become. We worked with LAX FacRep Mike Foote, who was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times , as was Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert. The story ran on Wednesday, Nov. 3. A portion is below: " A record 70.6 million passengers a year now pass through Los Angeles International Airport as it undergoes a multibillion - dollar "world class" modernization. " Passenger terminals, like Tom Bradley International, are being remodeled with upscale shopping and dining. Runways are being refurbished, and public transit is finally on the way. But high up in the control tower of the nation's second - busiest airport, the outlook is not so good. Air traffic controllers are working longer and harder than ever to safely handle the enormous volume of aircraft that arrives and departs at this prominent West Coast gateway. " The dropout rate for trainees has been as high as 60%, and many controllers routinely work more than five days a week, raising concerns about fatigue. The situation has beco me so bad even seasoned professionals seek reassignment to less stressful airports. " It's gotten worse," said Mike Foote, an LAX air traffic controller and local representative of the National Air Traffic Controllers Assn. "We are not saying the sky is