A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/880046
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 analyzes any budget proposal closely to determine the potential impact on our member pay and benefits. NATCA 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 benefits. 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 & SEQUESTRATION A stopgap spending bill, called a continuing resolution (CR), will be effective starting Oct. 1 to provide government funding for three months, until Dec. 8. Despite concerns, lawmakers agreed to the package and President Trump signed it into law, averting the risk of a full government shutdown , due to a lapse in appropri ations, when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. See below for more information on FAA funding, sequestration, and the possibility of a government shutdown later this year. Appropriations : With a stopgap now in place to extend current funding levels t hrough Dec. 8, lawmakers have more time to craft a final spending deal for FY 18. House Republicans have passed a $1.23 trillion catchall spending package (H.R. 3354) that would fund the government for the new fiscal year, but the bill stands almost no cha nce 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 this 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) by exceeding the cap for defense spending. If it were to becom e law (which, as mentioned, is highly unlikely), the omnibus would trigger across - the - board spending cuts to military programs, known as sequester. Sequestration Cuts : As part of the new CR, there will be no sequestration trigger during the duration of t his funding period (through December 8). 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 over 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. Congre ss now has until December to figure out whether spending caps should be raised or abolished. Government Shutdown Possibility : Back in August, President Donald Trump issued threats to shut down the government if he doesn ' t secure funding for the U .S. - Mexico border wall in the FY 18 spending bill. The wall funding debate will likely come up again