a CR will need to be enacted to keep the government open. NATCA GA staff focuse s on
the THUD appropriations bill, which is the spending measure that provides funding to the
FAA. NATCA GA staff has been continuously meeting with members of both the full
House and Senate Appropriations Committees, as well as committee staff, to make su re
they know the importance of sufficient funding for the FAA to NATCA members.
Status of Appropriations Bills : So far, the House has passed the Mil - Con VA,
Legislative Branch, Energy - Water, Defense, Financial Services, and Interior -
Environment appropriat ions bills, while the Senate has passed THUD, Mil - Con VA, and
the Energy - Water bills.
NEXT STEPS FOR FAA REAUTHORIZATION : As a reminder, President Obama signed
the third FAA extension into law on Friday, July 15. This extension (H. Res. 818, the
FAA Exten sion, Safety, and Security Act of 2016) will continue funding for the FAA
through Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, providing the stable and predictable funding stream that
the NAS requires in the meantime. To read NATCA's press release on the FAA
extension, please c lick here .
Addressing Controller Staffing : As you know, the FAA e xtension addresses
the controller staffing crisis. It includes language that will streamline the hiring process
and ensure a path for Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) students and military Veterans.
The language is nearly identical to H.R. 5292, the Ai r Traffic Controller Hiring
Improvement Act, which NATCA has been urging support for since NATCA in
Was hington (Ni W) this past May. With this legislation signed into law, the responsibility
falls on the FAA to implement the language that would improve the hiring process for
controllers. NATCA will closely follow the implementation.
Looking Ahead: Chairman Shuster of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure (T&I) Committee continues to advocate for a long - term, comprehensive
FAA bill while the 14 - month ex tension is in place. NATCA will continue to work with the
relevant committees in the House and Senate to address our priorities for a
comprehensive FAA bill. Because a new Congress will adjourn in January, any
legislation that was introduced during the 114 th Congress will be considered "dead" until
re - introduced. As a reminder, the House and Senate each passed their own versions of
long - term FAA reauthorization legislation (H.R. 636 in the Senate; H.R. 4441 in the
House, which NATCA supports).
