A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/799968
Trump hav e stayed mostly quiet on Congressional efforts to move forward an FAA reform bill, although we expect Chairman Bill Shuster to continue to advocate for his proposal (H.R. 4441 in the 114th Congress). Stay tuned for updates. NATCA Impact : NATCA has played a critical role in the FAA Reauthorization process. During the 114th Congress, NATCA supported Chairman Shuster's proposal (H.R. 4441; the AIRR Act) to reform air traffic control and provide a stable, predictable funding stream. We look forward to continu e to work with the committees of jurisdiction in the House and Senate, as well as with the executive branch, to ensure that NATCA's priorities are addressed in any FAA Reauthorization legislation. While no legislation has been introduced yet during the 115 th Congress, NATCA will closely scrutinize any proposal to ensure it meets the priorities of our members. FY 18 BUDGET The White House is expected to send its budget to Congress on March 16. Initial budget guidance has already been sent to federal agenc ies, outlining a $54 billion increase in defense spending and corresponding reductions to most non - security agencies. The president is proposing a 10 percent increase in defense spending and funding bumps for national security - related efforts. That will me an that reductions of tens of billions of dollars are expected to come from agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Department. Stay tuned for updates once the budget is released. NATCA Impact: While the Administration's bud get does not have the force of law, it serves as a blueprint for Congress to work on the 12 appropriations bills. NATCA will analyze any budget proposal closely to determine any potential impact on NATCA member pay and benefits. GA continues to work with m embers of Congress and their staff on this issue. APPROPRIATIONS FORECAST The government is operating on a continuing resolution (CR) funding measure (P.L. 114 - 254) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 that is set to expire on April 28. As a reminder, Congress has n't completed regular spending bills on time since the mid - 1990s, relying often on short - term funding patches that continue funding levels from the previous year without major changes. FY 17 Appropriations : The House passed a much - delayed defense spending bill on March 7 for the current fiscal year. Only one of the 12 annual appropriations bills needed to fund the government has become law (the Military Construction - VA bill passed with the CR last year), and the defense bill faces an uncertain vote in the Senate. The fate of the 10 other spending bills remain unclear, and there likely isn't time to consider and pass the other spending bills before the April 28 deadline. Potential for Government Shutdown : Due to the heavy volume of current legislative busi ness in Congress, all indications are that another CR or omnibus will be needed to avoid a government shutdown. Failure to pass an omnibus package could result in another stop - gap funding bill that would simply extend current funding levels through Septemb er 30. This would leave agencies largely unable to fund any new initiatives or shift funding priorities from those established more than a year ago. As always, it's important to be prepared for the potential of a government shutdown if no agreement is reac hed.