A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
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GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE This was the last week before the 2016 Presidential Election on Tuesday, Nov . 8. Congress remained adjourned as members of both chambers campaign in their home districts for re - election. The House and Senate will return to D.C. following elections for one week before recessing for the Thanksgiving holiday. ELECTIONS UPDATE Government Affairs will provide a comprehensive analysis of key changes for the upcoming 115th Congress in next week's update. LAME DUCK SES SION A lame duck session of Congress describes the period between the November elections and the swearing in of the new Congress in January. What happens during a lame duck session is largely dependent on which presidential nominee is elected, as well as t he results of which party ends up controlling the Senate and how many seats the Democrats pick up in the House. See below for more details on what to expect during the lame duck. Funding Deadline & Shutdown Threats : Congress will need to pass a government funding bill before the Dec . 9 deadline, and this will consume most of the calendar during the lame duck. As the deadline approaches, we may hear more about the possibility of a government shutdown. GA is working with members of Congress and staff to ensu re they are aware of the negative impact a shutdown has on the NAS. By way of background, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government and avoid a government shutdown before the Sept . 30 deadline. The CR (H.R. 5325) funds the government until Dec . 9. "Minibus" Discussions : House Speaker Paul Ryan disliked last yea r' s catchall omnibus spending package so much that he was said to have referred to it privately as a " crap sandwich. " That means he will likely push to break up the omnibus into smaller packages, known as " minibuses, " in hopes of subjecting any new funding to greater scrutiny. It's unclear if there is enough time for a minibus strategy to be completed. Congress will only have three legislative weeks before the CR expi res. That measure could get extended for an additional week, until December 16, since Congress is already scheduled to be in session until then. GA staff will keep you updated on the funding bill progress. THUD Appropriations : NATCA continues to advocate for a stable, predictable funding stream. GA staff has also been meeting with congressional staff during recess to advocate in support of the funding levels included in the House and Senate versions of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THU D) appropriations bills. These appropriations bills would provide adequate funding levels that NATCA advocated for throughout the appropriations process, as opposed to simply continuing current funding levels. Should any "minibus" include THUD spending, it will be important to continue to advocate for NATCA's support of the appropriations bills. L OOKING AHEAD TO 115TH CONGRESS The new 115th Congress will convene at the beginning of January with a new President in the White House. We expect many new member s of Congress will be elected to the House and Senate following the November elections, so it will be important to introduce them to NATCA's issues as early as possible. GA staff plans to visit all new members' offices on the first day they are sworn in wi th NATCA material. As mentioned above, GA