A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/667048
Floor. Senators are hoping to attach four renewable energy tax breaks and other last - minute add - on s, which may complicate the process since House Republicans have made it clear they do not want to renew any of the expired tax provisions this year. As of now, amendments are expected to be voted on through the week of April 11 - 15 and a final floor vote o n the bill may happen as early as April 14 or April 15 if it is not held u p by unrelated tax provisions. Bill Overview : S. 2658 would reauthorize the FAA for 18 months. The bill does not include an air traffic control not - for - profit proposal as the House v ersion proposes. NATCA staff has remained in close contact with Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R - SD) and Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D - FL) and their staffs about the details of the legislation to ensure our concerns are addressed. NATCA was successful in adding numerous provisions to S. 2658, including controller hiring language that would make necessary improvements in the hiring process at the FAA. Amendments : NATCA has been working proactively and reactively on over 200 am endments that h ave been filed. We will continue working with Senate leadership and Commerce Committee leadership and staff throughout the week as amendments are considered. House Action : House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R - PA) continues to advocate on behalf of his bill in the House (H.R. 4441). Despite opposition to the plan, Shuster has continued to educate members of Congress about his proposal and address their concerns, in hopes of generating enough support for the legisla tion to be considered on the House floor. We are also working with House T&I committee staff to address any issues with the Senate legislation if that version were to be considered in the House. Bill Overview : We have made clear that we will consider any a nd all reform proposals so long as they do not maintain the status quo at the FAA or result in a for - profit system. That is why we support the House bill, H.R. 4441 – it offers a solution to the stop - and - go funding that has hampered the Agency continually, and we continue to look for a solution that is consistent with all of our organization's policies, practices, and principles while also protecting our members and the unionized workforce. Click here to view NATCA's press release and here to view the message sent to NATCA membership from the National Executive Board. Click to read Paul' s testimony before the House T&I Committee, which approved the legislation. NATCA continues to push for reform to end the stop - and - go funding uncerta inty, which has been problematic for the workforce and the NAS for far too long. APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE : Appropriators in the House are moving at full throttle this week on several spending bills despite conservative opposition to the proposed budget bluep rint, which is discussed below. The big unknown is whether some accommodation can be found for conservatives by the time the spending bills reach the House floor. Conservative R epublicans have said they would be willing to consider higher discretionary spe nding if an equivalent amount of entitlement program funding was cut. While the House Budget Committee approved a budget resolution (H. Con. Res 125) that called for such a move, conservatives expressed concern it offered no way to guarantee that entitleme nt cuts would get enacted into law. Appropriations Bills Move Forward : As House leaders work to get a budget resolution adopted on the floor, both the House and Senate appropriations committees will be busy this week drafting spending bills. The full House Appropriations Committee will take up the bill funding the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects (Mil - Con - VA) on Wednesday, April 13. Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee plans to mark up its own version of the Mil - Co n - VA bill, as well as the