A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/862302
Republicans, who hold 52 Senate seats, to advance tax legislation with a simple majority instead of a 60 - vote threshold. APPROPRIATIONS & POSSIBLE SEQUESTRATION CUTS The federal government is currently operating under an omnibus spending bill through the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (until September 30). Before adjourning for recess, the House passed a "mini - bus" that included appropriations bills for Defense, Energy - Water, Military Construction - VA and the Legislative Branch. The next steps for the legislation a re unclear because its defense spending allocation would breach budget law and it is also unlikely to pass the Senate. If the mini - bus were to be enacted without a new budget deal, its spending levels would trigger automatic spending cuts known as sequestr ation. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has said that when the House returns in September it will vote on the remaining eight annual spending bills, which weren't included in the mini - bus, as well as the budget resolution (more on that below). FAA Fund ing : NATCA has continuously advocated for full funding for the FAA in our relevant Congressional appropriations bills (the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, "THUD"). Following this year's NATCA in Washington lobby week, whi ch sent our activists to Capitol Hill to request full funding in FY 2018, NATCA was successful in getting increases in the appropriations bills for the next fiscal year. The full House has already passed its version of THUD funding, which would increase fu nding for the FAA. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved its version of the THUD bill, which would also provide an increase for the FAA, although the legislation has not come to the Senate floor for a vote yet. The proposed FY 18 spending levels for the FAA are as follows: FAA BUDGET LINE FY 2018 FY 2018 House Request Senate Request Operations $10,185,482,000 $10,186,000,000 Facilities & Equipment $2,855,000,000 $3,005,000,000 Research, Engineering & Development $170,000,000 $179,00 0,000 GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN POSSIBILITY With Congress in recess for August, there will only be a few weeks when they return before the n ew fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. Members of Congress and the White House will then be under immense pressure to complet e a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown at the end of September. The current strategy is for the House to take up the eight remaining fiscal 2018 appropriations bills in a single, massive package. GA staff will continue to work with congressional staff and keep you updated on the possibility of any type of government shutdown. NATCA Impact : Congress hasn't completed all 12 regular spending bills on time for any fiscal year since the mid - 1990s, relying often on short - term funding patches that conti nue funding levels from the previous year without major changes. The lack of a stable and predictable funding stream leaves the FAA in financial limbo, and prevents government agencies such as the FAA from starting new projects or adjusting priorities. F AA REAUTHORIZATION E XTENTION EXPECTED IN SEPTEMBER House leadership was unable to bring H.R. 2997, the "21 st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act," to the floor for consideration before the August recess due to a busy calenda r and the lack of consensus on the bill . The House