A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/808779
The current FAA Reauthorization is set to expire on Sept . 30, coinciding with the end of this fiscal year . The committees of jurisdiction in both the House and Senate have been holding hearings on the subject in advance of the September deadline. GA staff will continue to keep you updated. NATCA Impact : NATCA has played a critical role with Congress in the F AA 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. NATCA also worked with Ranking Member Peter DeFazio on his proposal, but he ultimately decided not to introduce it. We look forward to continue 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 F AA Reauthorization legislation. While no legislation has been introduced yet during the 115th Congress, NATCA will closely scrutinize any proposal to ensure it meets the priorities of our members. WHI TE HOUSE FY 18 BUDGET PROPOSAL On March 16, the White House released its "skinny budget," outlining it s priorities for Fiscal Year 201 8. As expected, the budget calls for an increase in defense spending, offset by a decrease in discretionary spending. In order to avoid any cuts to entitlements (Social Securit y and Medicare), the Administration has instead opted to take funding from discretionary programs at agencies such as the State Department and EPA. Specific to NATCA, the budget proposal included guidance for the Department of Transportation: while short o n details, it included support for air traffic control reform. Click here for NATCA Pre sident Paul Rinaldi's statement on the President's FY 18 budget proposal, where it is reiterated that NATCA continues to seek a stable, predictable funding stream for the NAS. The White House is expected to release a more detailed budget in May. NATCA I mpact : As a reminder, while the President has the ability to offer budget proposals, Congress still needs to review requests and enact the proposals into law. The unpopularity of the budget could make it even harder to reach spending and budget deals durin g FY 18. While the Administration's budget 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 an d benefits. GA continues to work with members of Congress and their staff on this issue, with a specific focus on appropriations for the FAA. LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST In addition to executive actions from President Trump, Congress is already working on anti - federal employee bills. With Republicans officially in control of the House, Senate, and White House, the number of proposals that would negatively impact federal employees will rise. GA staff has been and will continue prepa ring to fight these proposals. H.R. 1364, The Official Time Reform Act of 2017: This bill was introduced by Rep. Jody Hice (R - GA) and would amend the Title 5 official time statute to prohibit federal employees from lobbying while on official time. Additionally, the bill will prohibit some federal employees from counting time spent on official time as creditable service under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement Systems (FERS). This legislation passed the OGR Committee by a recorded vote. In