A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/793416
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT Week of Feb. 11 - 17: CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE Congress wa s in recess during the week of Feb . 20, and both chambers will return on February 27. As a reminder, Congress has a jam - packed schedule this year and it will be full of legislative activity. FAA REAUTHORIZATION HEARING On Feb . 15, the House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation held the first of five hearings meant to start the dialogue on the next FAA reauthorizati on bill. The hearing, "Building a 21st Century Infrastructure for America: State of American Manufacturing" focused on the current state of civil aviation manufacturing, including the economic, regulatory, and general health of American civil aviation manu facturing, as well as any challenges being faced. Hearing witnesses included representatives of the FAA, Boeing Company, Pratt and Whitney, and Textron Aviation. Certification was a major focus of the hearing, as lawmakers on both sides expressed their s upport for modifications to the FAA's certification process in the next FAA reauthorization bill. OFFICIAL TIME HEARING The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations, chaired by Rep. Mark Meadows (R - NC), held a hearing o n Feb . 16 regarding the use of official time for union activities at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The hearing focused on the results of a new Government Accountability Office report, which found that official time was not being accurately tracked at the VA. While both Democrat and Republican members of the Subcommittee acknowledged the importance of official time, several Republicans expressed their concerns about VA employees who use 100 percent of their time for union activities. The Chairman of the committee said he recognized the importance of official time and that the hearing from his perspective was focused on what is reasonable and what is in the best interest of the taxpayers. GA staff has been working closely with OGR members and the Chair man of the committee. While the news is welcomed, the fact is that many members of Congress still want to reform official time and GA staff will continue working on the issue. FY 18 BUDGET The Trump administration plans to release an outline of its fiscal 2018 budget request on March 14, a late submission that is likely to delay the appropriations process. The deadline for the president ' s budget was Feb . 6, although that deadline has often been missed by other presidents in their first year. Missing the de adline carries no penalty, but will likely delay work on appropriations since it is used to set guidelines for the 12 spending bills. The submission will be late partly because of the long time it took the Senate to confirm the White House budget director, former Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R - SC), who wasn ' t sworn into office until Feb . 16. NATCA Impact