A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/816138
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT Week of April 8 - 21 , 2017 CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE The House and Senate returned to Washington, D.C. for the week of April 24 following a two - week recess. As a reminder, Congress has a jam - packed schedule this year and it will be full of legislative activity. DAY S AWAY FROM POSSIBLE SHUTDOWN With lawmakers back in Washington, there are only four legislative days to avoid a government shutdown before the April 28 deadline. As a reminder, the government is operating on a continuing resolution (CR; P.L. 114 - 254) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017. Some type of spending bill will be needed to avoid a government shutdown. If lawmakers cannot reach a deal on a full omnibus package, which would result in another stop - gap funding bill, also known as a CR. A CR would simply extend current funding levels, leaving agencies largely unable to fund any new initiatives or shift funding priorities from those established more than a year ago. Or, the spending bill could be a combination of the two, known as a "cromnibus," which would exten d current spending levels for some agencies while passing new legislation for others. As of Tuesday, April 25, it is still unclear on the path forward on a spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown. NATCA Impact: Congress hasn't completed regu lar 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. The lack of a stable and predictable funding stream leaves the FAA in financial limbo, an d prevents government agencies such as the FAA from starting new projects or adjusting priorities. NATCA GA staff continues to meet with members of Congress and their staff to remind them of the importance of a stable, predictable funding stream, and the c onsequences of a government shutdown. NATCA GA staff has also been meeting with House and Senate appropriations committee members and staff as they work towards the FY18 appropriations bill to ensure proper funding of FAA accounts. REP. CHAFFETZ RETIRING Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R - UT), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR), recently announced that he won't run for re - election to the U.S. House or any other office in 2018. More information about the timing of his departure is for thcoming in the coming weeks, as the race for Chairman of OGR Committee will continue to heat up. As you know, the House OGR Committee has jurisdiction over federal employee issues and, especially in recent years, has become a top tier committee for NATCA. FY 18 BUDGET PROPOSALS With an ambitious schedule in Congress this year as members work to implement President Trump's agenda, work on House and Senate budget proposals have been delayed. On March 16, the White House released a "skinny budget," with the expectation that a full budget is expected to be released sometime in May.