Deadline For Passage Is September 30

The U.S. Senate may push debate and a vote on the FAA Reauthorization Bill until after its August recess, which would have the body considering the measure in the same month that it is set to expire.

The Hill reports that Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation chair John Thune (R-SD) said that there may be other legislative priorities for the Senate, and that "FAA might get pushed, and if it does, we'll deal with it in September."

The House version is also in something of a holding pattern, and there is now concern that Congress will not have enough time to finish the bills and reconcile their differences before the funding runs out September 30.

Both measures have controversial elements to be hammered out. The Senate version would expand the kind of training that could be included towards the 1,500 hour rule for pilot training before becoming an airline captain. On the House side, there is the thorny issue of ATC privatization.

House Transportation Committee chair Bill Shuster (R-PA) recently told Fox News that the FAA bill might not be on the floor until September, but that he is committed to finishing the bill before the deadline and avoiding another continuing resolution to fund the agency.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.commerce.senate.gov, transportation.house.gov