A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/848197
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTME NT CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE Congress is only in session for three weeks until the five - week August recess. In just three weeks, Congress hopes to complete a health care overhaul, increase the debt ceiling, and produce a fiscal 2018 budget resolution that wo uld expedite tax cuts. On top of that, the 12 spending bills need to be signed into law before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. FAA REAUTHORIZATION PASSES HOUSE & SENATE COMMITTEES FAA Reauthorization bills in both chambers are moving forward, with p assage out of the relevant committees in both the House and Senate. On June 27, the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee passed H.R. 2997, the "21 st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act," which NATCA supports . H.R. 2997 passed by a vote of 32 - 25, mostly along party lines; Rep. Todd Rokita (R - IN) joined all Democrats in voting no. A couple of days later, on June 29, the Senate passed its version of FAA reauthorization, S. 1405, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 20 17. The Senate bill did not contain any air traffic control reform provision. S. 1405 passed unanimously by voice vote in the Senate Commerce Committee. Both bills are now ready for floor action in their respective chambers. The House vote on HR 2997 is ex pected the week of July 17th, while the timing of a floor vote for the Senate bill is still unclear. Background : The current FAA Reauthorization is set to expire on Sept. 30, coinciding with the end of this fiscal year. The committees of jurisdiction in b oth the House and Senate have been holding hearings on the subject in advance of the deadline. Earlier in May, NATCA President Paul Rinaldi testified before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Timeline : The current FAA Reauthorization ex pires on September 30, coinciding with the end of this fiscal year. Congress is scheduled to be in recess during the entire month of August, leaving a short period of time for the House and Senate send an FAA reauthorization bill to the President's desk to be signed into law. As mentioned above, the House and Senate versions of FAA Reauthorization have stark differences. If the chambers cannot reach an agreement on a long - term FAA Reauthorization bill, it is likely that an extension of the current legislati on would be enacted. NATCA Impact : NATCA has played a critical role with Congress in the FAA Reauthorization process. We've continued to work with Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio's respective staff, as well as with the Senate staff and execut ive branch, to ensure that our priorities are addressed in any FAA Reauthorization legislation. NATCA will closely scrutinize any proposal to ensure it meets the priorities of our members. To view a copy of NATCA President Paul Rinaldi's testimony earlier this year before the T&I Committee, please click here . APPROPRIATIONS The federal government is currently operating under an omnibus spending bill through the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (until Sept. 30). Before then, Congress will need to reconsider all appropriations bills for FY 2018. With limited time before the start of the new fiscal year, when the funding is required, there is no longer enough time to move all 12 bills separately through both chambers and reconcile their differences. A budget deal