A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/660202
FAA Ea stern Regional Office Building. We are currently in the proce ss of sched uling this briefing. NATCA POCs: Assistant Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale and Labor Rela tions Coordinator Kendal Manson. On March 22, 2016 , NATCA requested a briefing on the Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) Initiative. We are currently in the process of sc heduling this briefing. NATCA POCs: Assistant Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . On March 17, 2016 , NATCA requested a briefing on the FAA Tr avel Policy (FAATP) Revisions. We are currently waiting for a response from th e Agency regarding our request. NATCA POCs: Assistant Director of Labor Relations Erina Hammond, Labor Relations Representative Melinda Kim, and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . On March 15, 2016 , N ATCA requested a briefing on eCOMP. We are currently waiting for a response from the Agency regarding our request. NATCA POCs: Assistant Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . On March 15, 2016 , NATCA requ ested a briefing on the NextG en Airspace Teams. We are currently waiting for a response from th e Agency regarding our request. NATCA POCs: Assistant Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson . GOVERNMENT AFFAI RS DEPARTMENT CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE : The House and Senate are on recess for Easter break. The Senate returns on April 4 and the House returns on April 12 t o resume legislative business. SECOND FAA EXTENSION : A short - term deal (H.R. 4721) was approved to extend aviation programs and excise taxes through July 15, 2016, giving lawmakers another three and a half months to see whether the two chambers can agree on a long - term reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As you know, authoriza tion for the FAA expires on March 31 and this legislation is necessary in order to avoid any shutdown at the FAA. Background: As a reminder, before the 2012 FAA reauthorization bill was enacted into law, there were 23 extensions for FAA authorization. Each time the extension was about to lapse was another chance for a partial FAA shutdown and member furloughs. This is the sort of funding uncertainty that NATCA has worked hard to address and is all the more reason to remain involved and engaged in the proces s. NATCA continues to push for reform to end the stop - and - go funding uncertainty, which has been problematic for the workforce and the NAS for far too long. This short - term extension comes after leadership determined that the chamber will not take up House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Bill Shuster's long - term FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 4441) before the March 31 deadline. Despite opposition to the plan, Chairman Shuster continues to educate members of