A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/865677
APPROPRIATIO NS & POSSIBLE SEQUESTRATION CUTS The federal government is currently operating under an omnibus spending bill through the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (until Sept. 30). Before adjourning for recess, the House passed a "mini - bus" that included appropr iations bills for Defense, Energy - Water, Military Construction - VA and the Legislative Branch. The bill's defense spending allocation would breach budget law, meaning that if it were to be enacted without a new budget deal, its spending levels would trigger automatic spending cuts known as sequestration. 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. The House Rules Committee is working to prepare the additional appropriations bills during August recess and we are expecting a wide range of amendments if the bills are considered on the House Floor. GA staff will be closely monitoring the bi ll and related amendments. FAA Funding : 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, which 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 funding 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 ye t. 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, Engineerin g & Development $170,000,000 $179,000,000 Sequestration Cuts : Current spending plans would trigger a round of across - the - board cuts known as sequestration. A 2011 law (P.L. 112 - 25) imposed limits on defense and non - defense discretionary spending throug h fiscal 2021 in an effort to curb mounting deficits. For FY 18, the defense cap is $549 billion and the non - defense cap is $515.7 billion. Senate appropriators are writing their spending bills based on this year ' s funding levels, which are higher than the caps for next year. As a result, the Senate plan would exceed the caps. Meanwhile, the House "minibus" spending bill (H.R. 3219), which was approved by the full House last month, would exceed the defense cap. If these plans are enacted without changes, se questration would go back into effect. 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. Upon their return, members of Congress and the White Ho use will be under immense pressure to complete 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 when C ongress returns from recess in September. 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