House Transportation And Infrastructure Committee Reports Out
ANOTHER Extension
Among the votes taken Wednesday by the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee was one that approved a short-term
extension of FAA programs ... again. It is the 19th extension of
FAA funding levels during the past three years.
H.R. 1079, the “Airport and Airway Extension Act of
2011,” is a bipartisan bill to extend FAA funding and
programs at current funding levels through May 31, 2011. This
straightforward legislation to extend FAA programs another 60 days
beyond the current authorization will provide additional time for
Congress to take action on a fiscally responsible, multi-year FAA
reauthorization bill.
In February, the Committee approved the four-year FAA
Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011 (H.R. 658). The extension
approved today is necessary in order to allow time for the House to
consider the longer-term bill, which will create jobs through wise
investment of aviation infrastructure resources, save $4 billion by
streamlining and consolidating FAA programs and facilities, and
increase the use of cost effective programs. The multi-year bill
reduces spending to fiscal year 2008 levels, and requires FAA to
identify savings in a manner that does not negatively impact
aviation safety.
“The Committee has finished its work on the long-term FAA
reauthorization, and the other House committees with jurisdiction
are considering their portions of the bill this week,” said
Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL).
“Since the earliest the House can take up that bill is the
final week of this month, this extension is necessary to ensure
aviation programs do not lapse.”
“This extension will keep our aviation programs funded
through the end of May, and I have renewed confidence that, with
the Senate having already passed its bill and our reauthorization
headed to the floor in the next couple weeks, this should be our
final extension,” said Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Tom
Petri (R-WI). “I know the Senate is as eager as we are in the
House to get a long-term reauthorization in place.”
The Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011 was approved in
Committee by voice vote.
Even though all signs point toward Congress inching closer to
moving forward on the FAA bill, things are not moving quickly
enough to avoid the necessity of another temporary extension. The
House Ways and Means Committee approved the bill’s revenue
title (tax authority) this week, and the House is moving forward
with a clean extension of the authority to collect and spend
aviation-related excise taxes through fiscal 2014. This means there
will be no tax increases in the House bill. The tax revenues make
up the bulk of funding for the FAA.
The House bill could come to a vote as soon as the week of March
28 after next week’s recess. However, analysts say the fact
that the House is seeking another short-term extension and that
there are several significant differences between the Senate-passed
FAA bill and the House measure are early indications that it could
be difficult to reach a compromise between the two chambers.