Rockefeller: FAA Stopgap and Long-Term Bill Could Move Soon
By Niels Lesniewski and Anne L. Kim
The short-term Federal Aviation Administration extension passed by the House is expected to clear the Senate on Thursday, according to John D. Rockefeller IV.
The West Virgina Democrat also told reporters that "the issues are all put to bed" on a long-term FAA reauthorization bill (HR 658).
Rockefeller said his preference would be to have a formal conference on the multi-year measure. It is unclear whether that will happen or whether the chambers will simply "ping-pong" the bill until it's finished.
In any case, the long-term bill appears to be on the "fast track". A senior Senate Democratic aide said the conference report on the multi-year FAA bill could be up on the Senate floor as soon as next week.
The House passed the short-term extension (HR 3800) on Jan. 24. That measure would extend through Feb. 17the authority to collect taxes directed to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which provides the bulk of FAA funding, as well as authority to spend money from the fund. It also would provide authorizations for various FAA activities and programs throughFeb. 17, including contract authority for the Airport Improvement Program.
The FAA has been operating under a series of short-term extensions since the most recent long-term reauthorization (PL 108-176) expired at the end of fiscal 2007. The current short-term extension (PL 112-30) expires Jan. 31.
Lawmakers have said that the short-term extension would ensure FAA operations while the House and Senate work to produce a final agreement on a multi-year bill.
House and Senate leadership resolved the most contentious issue on that legislation last week. A House-passed measure (HR 658) had proposed nullifying a National Mediation Board (NMB) ruling that made it easier for rail and airline workers to unionize. A Senate-passed bill (S 223) included no such provision.
Under the agreement, the NMB ruling — which changed the way union representation election ballots are counted — would remain, but the legislation would raise the percentage of eligible bargaining-unit members needed to petition for a new union election from 35 to 50 percent. The agreement also would set other requirements, such as public hearings for all substantive NMB rulemakings and Governmental Accountability Office audits of the NMB at least every two years.