A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/600489
by increasing dis cretionary spending by $80 billion above sequester - level spending caps. NATCA continues to work with members of Congress and staff on this issue and we continue to remind them of the affect it had on the aviation system and our members in 2013. We have mad e it continuously clear that if sequestration cuts are implemented, the cuts will be larger than in 2013. FAA LONG - TERM REAUTHORIZATION : As a reminder, Congress cannot begin work on the FAA Reauthorization until the highway bill is finished. Senate Comme rce Chairman John Thune expects that the House will move first, and then the Senate will act on their own version following House consideration. FAA authority is temporarily extended through March 31, 2016 (via H.R. 3614, the Airport and Airway Extension A ct of 2015). Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio on the House T&I Committee have made it clear that they only want one extension for the FAA this time around, which is the extension that we are now operating under until March. 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. A4A pushes Shuster to unveil FAA bill: Airlines for America (A4A) President a nd CEO Nicholas Calio called for Rep. Shuster to introduce an FAA reauthorization bill before the end of the year. "We think the bill should be introduced soon, certainly by the end of the year," Calio said. "What we have got to do is get a bill out there. " LEGISLATION TO STRIP IRS EMPLOYEES OF UNION RIGHTS : Senator Tim Scott (R - SC) introduced legislation titled "End the Partisan IRS Culture (EPIC) Act" last week. If enacted, this legislation would eliminate the ability for federal employees at the IRS to organize and join a labor union. Senator Scott's bill would, by default, eliminate official time at the IRS because only unionized federal employees can use official time. This legislation is a result of criticism the IRS has faced for its alleged politica l targeting and its use of official time. NATCA has long advocated for the use of official time at the FAA and, on multiple occasions, has defeated anti - official time amendments on the House floor. Elimination of official time at any agency within the fede ral government would be a slippery slope. GA staff will closely follow this legislation. WOUNDED WARRIORS FEDERAL LEAVE ACT SIGNED INTO LAW : President Obama signed into law legislation that would give disabled veterans hired as federal employees access t o their full year's sick leave immediately upon starting their jobs. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 (H.R. 813) would give federal employees, who are also disabled veterans, with 104 hours of "Wounded Warrior leave" during their first year i n the federal workforce so that they may seek medical treatment for their service - connected disabilities without being forced to take unpaid leave or forego their appointments altogether. This bill passed the House in September and the Senate unanimously p assed the bill in October. COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SOCIAL MEDIA Show us Your NATCA Pride in November NATCA Reloaded T - Shirt Contest! T hroughout 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 . Don't forget to "Like" NATCA's Reloaded Facebook page