A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/820602
an FY 18 budget, it would be the second year in a row that Republicans have been unable to unite around a full budget resolution. White House Budget: The White House released a "skinny budget," which outlines its priorities for FY18. The budget calls for an increase in defense spending, offset by a decrease in discretionary spending. Specific to NATCA, the budget proposal included guidance for the Department of Transportation. While short on details, it included support for an infrastructure policy that could include air traffic control reform. Click here for NATCA President Paul Rinaldi's statement on the President's FY 18 budget proposal. GA staff will closely monitor the full budget proposa l when it is released in May. NATCA Impact: As a reminder, while both chambers of Congress and the President have the ability to offer budget proposals, Congress still needs to enact any budget proposal into law. The unpopularity of the Pres ident's budget will likely make it even harder to reach spending and budget deals during FY 18. While budget proposals do not have the force of law, they serve as a blueprint for the 12 appropriations bills. NATCA will analyze any budget proposal closely t o determine any potential impact on our member pay and benefits. GA continues to work with members of Congress and their staff on this issue, with a specific focus on appropriations for the FAA. FAA REAUTHORIZATION 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. Rece ntly, Chairman Shuster said that he would like to move an FAA reauthorization bill out of the House before the summer recess in August. NATCA Impact : NATCA has played a critical role with Congress in the FAA Reauthorization process. During the 114th Congr ess, 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 FAA Reauthorization legislation. While no legislati on has been introduced yet during the 115th Congress, NATCA will closely scrutinize any proposal to ensure it meets the priorities of our members. PREPARI NG FOR ANTI - OFFICIAL TIME BILL Legislation that attacks the use of official time could come to the H ouse floor at any time. H.R. 1364, the Official Time Reform Act of 2017, was introduced by Rep. Jody Hice (R - GA) and would prohibit some federal employees from counting time spent on official time as creditable service under the Civil Service Retirement Sy stem (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement Systems (FERS). This legislation has already passed the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee, meaning it could come to the House floor at any time for a vote. In order for this legislation to become law , it would need to pass the House, Senate, and be signed by President Trump. NATCA GA staff has been actively lobbying against this legislation and continues to closely monitoring its movement. LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST