A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/687483
the first appropriations bill of the year was passed on May 19 with final passage of the Mil - Con VA bill. However, the second appropriations bill considered on the House floor; Energy and Water , didn't go smoothly and there could be a pause in appropriations action in the House. On May 26, House conservatives blocked passage of a relatively noncontroversial Energy and Water appropriations bill after Democrats attached an amendment that would b ar federal contractors from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. A similar amendment caused disarray on the House floor the previous week when Democrats tried to attach it to the Mil - Con VA appropriations bill. House Speake r Paul Ryan told reporters after consideration of the Energy and Water bill that " When we come back (from Memorial Day recess), we will sit down with our members, have a family discussion about how best to proceed so that the appropriations process cannot be sabotaged and derailed. " Official Time Threats: Anti - official time amendments frequently come up on the House floor during consideration of appropriations bills. During consideration of last year's Mil - Con VA bill in the House, an amendment was offered by Rep. Jody Hice (R - GA) that would have eliminated official time for federal employees serving at the Department of Veterans Affairs. NATCA GA successfully defeated the amendment when it came up for a vote. GA staff was prepared in case a similar amendme nt was offered to the House Mil - Con VA or Senate THUD/Mil - Con VA bills during consideration last week, but in the end, no amendment affecting official time was offered. WHAT'S NEXT FOR FAA REAUTHORIZATION — ANOTHER EXTENSION LOOMING? House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Bill Shuster needs more time to decide on his strategy for a long - term FAA reauthorization bill, but we are looking at the likelihood of some hearings in June and July, including one on the issue of staffing and hir ing of air traffic controllers. Meanwhile, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune is stressing the need for a full, long - term FAA reauthorization bill instead of another short - term extension. On May 24, Senate Commerce C hairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson sent a letter to House Transportation Committee Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio encouraging them to take up and pass the Senate FAA bill, with the clock ticking down on a July 15 deadline for action. Cha irman Shuster has yet to show any sign of abandoning his plan (H.R. 4441; the AIRR Act), which NATCA supports. However, they have had trouble rallying support for the idea from both Republicans and Democrats alike. As a reminder, the Senate passed H.R. 636 earlier in April, which would reauthorize the FAA through FY17. Possible Outcomes : A few of the possible paths forward include: 1) no long - term FAA reauthorization legislation moves forward, so both chambers will need to pass another FAA extension; 2) the House passes a less - controversial bill, without the air traffic control reform proposal, and proceeds to conference that legislation with the Senate - passed bill; or 3) Chairman Shuster continues to push for consideration of H.R. 4441 and attempts to garne r the support necessary to bring it to the House floor for a vote. Background : A short - term extension (H.R. 4721) is currently in place to extend aviation programs and excise taxes through July 15. In April, the Senate passed H.R. 636, its version of long - term FAA reauthorization legislation, to reauthorize the FAA through Fiscal Year 2017. In the House, the T&I Committee approved H.R. 4441 back in February, which includes air traffic control reform, but that legislation has yet to come to the House floor for a vote. House Democrats are unified in their opposition against separating ATC from government, and the Republican caucus has yet to get in line