Also Includes Over $16.2 Billion For AIP

Congress is ready to take another run at reauthorizing and funding the FAA through 2012. The Federal Times reports House Resoultion 915 is similar to the House reauthorization bill which passed in 2007, but stalled in the Senate. The FAA has been running on temporary extensions since October 1, 2007.

The new bill does add a whistleblower's office to handle incoming tips directly from both FAA employees and private-sector sources. It's a response to the Southwest Airlines case last year, in which FAA employees said their years of reports to supervisors about issues in the airline's maintenance program were ignored, and their jobs threatened.

The new bill also addresses other criticisms of the FAA, requiring the agency to clarify that its clients are not airlines but passengers, and requiring FAA to notify regulated parties that they do not have any right to choose which FAA employees will conduct inspections.

Of special interest to general aviation, the $70 billion proposal would allocate $16.2 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, and $1.3 billion for R&D, including hastening implementation of NextGen Air Traffic Control.

Before heading into a subcommittee hearing on the bill Wednesday, co-sponsor James Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, predicted success for the bill this time. "We have a new president and a new Congress. This time we’ll get the job done."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.congress.gov