A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/905671
in to effect after that date. Both Republicans and Democrats have acknowledged the need to avoid sequestration, but an agreement still needs to be reached. As a reminder, the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112 - 25) imposed limits on spending through F Y 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 h ave allowed for higher spending limits. Congress has until Dec . 8 to figure out whether spending caps should be raised or abolished. FAA Funding : NATCA has continuously advocated for full funding for the FAA in our relevant Congressional appropriations b ills (the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, "THUD"). For FY 2018, the House has already passed its version of THUD funding, which would increase funding for the FAA. The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved its vers ion 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 2018 spending levels for the FAA are as follows: FAA BUDGET LINE FY 2018 FY 2018 House Req uest 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 $179,000,000 NATCA Impact : Congress hasn't completed all 12 regular spending b ills on time for any fiscal year since the mid - 1990s, relying often on short - term funding patches that continue funding levels from the previous year without major changes. The lack of a stable and predictable funding stream leaves the FAA in financial lim bo, and prevents government agencies such as the FAA from starting new projects or adjusting priorities. FAA REAUTHORIZATION In September, Congress passed a six - month extension for the FAA. The extension reauthorizes FAA programs until the end of March 2 018. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster is still pushing to get a floor vote on H.R. 2997, the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act but is not setting a specific deadline. On the Senate side, we are anticipating that Chairman Thune and the Senate Commerce Committee will move forward with either their long - term FAA reauthorization bill or an extension in early 2018. Background : Prior to passage of the short - term extension, both the House and Senate passed FAA reauthorization legislation through their respective committees of jurisdiction (H.R. 2997 and S. 1405). However, neither bill has been brought to the floor for consideration, which made the six - month extension necessary. The extension puts Chai rman Shuster's proposal to reform air traffic control on hold, but lawmakers in the House could still consider the legislation if it garners enough votes for passage. NATCA Impact : NATCA played a critical role with Congress as the FAA extension was bein g considered, and we will continue to engage Congress as the FAA Reauthorization process continues. NATCA continues to highlight the need for a stable, predictable funding stream that adequately supports the following: air traffic control services, staffin g, hiring and training, long - term modernization projects, preventative maintenance, ongoing modernization to the physical infrastructure, and the timely implementation of NextGen modernization projects. LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST In addition to executive actio ns from President Trump, Congress is already working to advance anti - federal employee bills, including those that would attack the use of official