A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/876590
Specifically, the proposal includes elimination of the SSA annuity as a way to save money. Air traffic controllers receive the annuity once they reach their age of mandatory retire ment until it automatically terminates the year they become eligible to receive SSA payments. Activist Updates : So far, our rolling lobby week activists have held over 300 meetings in the House and Senate to discuss this issue. By the end of September, i t's expected that more than 400 Congressional offices will have been visited. Our activist s have done an outstanding job of educating members on the annuity supplement issue. FY 18 BUDGET PROPOSALS Congressional "budget resolutions" set a tax and spending framework for Congress to enact annual appropriations bills. This year, Republicans are eager to get a Fiscal Year 2018 (FY 18) budget resolution passed this fall in order to lay the groundwork for their top priority, which is tax reform. However, a floor vote on the legislation has faced continuous delays. See below for details and the status of budget proposals from the White House, Senate, and U.S. House. As a reminder, a budget proposal is not law. NATCA Impact : While both chambers of Congress and the President have the ability to offer budget proposals, Congress still needs to enact specific budget provisions into law. Budget proposals do not have the force of law, but they do serve as a blueprint for the 12 appropriations bills. That is why NATCA ana lyzes any budget proposal closely to determine the potential impact on our member pay and benefits. GA continues to work with members of Congress and their staff to address our concerns, with a specific focus on any changes to federal employee pay and bene fits. House & Senate Budgets : The House Budget Committee approved the Republican - drafted budget proposal for the FY 18 budget on July 19, 2017. Click here to view NATCA's press release on the House budget resolution. So far we have not seen a budget proposal in the Senate. APPROPRIATIONS & SEQUESTRAT ION With a stopgap now in place to extend current funding levels through Dec. 8, lawmakers have more time to craft a final spending deal for FY 18. House Republicans passed a $1.23 trillion catchall spending package (H.R. 3354) that would fund the governme nt for the new fiscal year, but the bill stands almost no chance of going anywhere in the Senate where Democrats would block consideration. The package bundled together the 12 annual appropriations bills and is mainly being used as political messaging at t his point, claiming that this is the first time the House has passed all 12 funding bills on time since 2009. However, it won't become law by the new fiscal year and it's not considered "on budget," since it violates the deficit - cutting law (P.L. 112 - 25) b y exceeding the cap for defense spending. If it were to become law (which, as mentioned, is highly unlikely), the omnibus would trigger across - the - board spending cuts to military programs, known as sequester. Sequestration Cuts : The Budget Control Act (P .L. 112 - 25) imposed limits on spending through fiscal 2021 in an effort to curb mounting deficits, but it has faced growing criticism on Capitol Hill even among Republican lawmakers. The across - the - board spending cuts, known as sequester, have been eased o ver the years through bipartisan budget deals that have allowed for higher spending limits. But a growing number of lawmakers are advocating for a permanent or longer - term fix. Congress now has until