A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/626428
NATCA Receives Briefing on Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS) Release 13 On Dec . 15, 2015, the Agency notified NATCA of its intent to release TFMS Version 13 (Release 13) and offered to bri ef NATCA on the change. On Jan . 7, 2016, NATCA attended the Arti cle 7 briefing on this matter. During the briefing, NATCA's POCs learned that the majority of the changes in Release 13 are enhancement s/upgrades to TFMS Release 12. Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) is scheduled to b egin at the Tech Center in March 2016, and Key Site Acceptance Testing (KSAT) is scheduled for mid - April 2016. NATCA subject matter experts will be par ticipating at the Tech Center. NATCA POCs: Deputy Director of Safety & Technology Jim Ullmann, Tony Smi th, Labor Relations Attorney Greg Shoemaker, and Labor Rel ations Attorney Suzanne DeFelice. Briefings On Jan . 5, 2016, NATCA requested a briefing on the relocation of C ape Approach to Boston TRACON. We are curr ently scheduling this briefing. NATCA POCs: Director of Labor Relations Ryan Smith, Labor Relations Attorney Nicole Vitale, Labor Relations Attorney Suzanne DeFelice, and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . On Jan . 8, 2016, NATCA requested a briefing on t he FAA Print Management Policy. We ar e currently in the process of scheduling this briefing. NATCA POCs: Labor Relations Representative Melinda Kim, Labor Relations Attorney Suzanne DeFelice, and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . Surveys NATCA does not recommend participation in the NextGen (In - person) Interviews. If you have any questions, please contact Kendal Manson, Labor Relations Coordinator, at kmanson@natcadc.org . NATCA recommends participation i n the AIR ACO Engineer Survey. If yo u have any questions, please contact Kendal Manson, Labor Relations Coordinator, at kmanson@natcadc.org . GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE : The House and Senate are both in session for the week of Jan . 11. The House will recess from Jan . 14 until Jan . 25 for the Republican and Democrat issue conferences. WHITE HOUSE FY 2017 BUDGET REQUEST : The White House plans to release its budget for the next fiscal year (FY 2017) on Feb . 9. Each year, Congress makes major changes to the president ' s request as it crafts spending bills to fund federal agencies. The FY 2017 budget blueprint will be the last of Barack Obama ' s presidency, and will shape many of this year's major policy battles on Capitol Hil l. It is expected to adhere to the broad discretionary spending limits for defense and domestic programs established in a two - year bipartisan bud get deal (PL 114 - 74) last fall. RESTORING ORDER TO THE BUDGET PROCESS : Lawmakers have high hopes of restoring order to the budget process in 2016. Members of Congress are already