Latest Continuing Resolution Pays For FAA Through January 30th, 2012

In a move that practically assures that Congress will not pass a long-term funding bill for the FAA this year, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a package of extensions for funding multiple transportation programs, including the FAA, that will keep the agency open through January 30th, 2012. The measure now goes on to the Senate, where at least one Senator has said he may try to block the bill on a topic not related to aviation or the FAA.

Approval came on a voice vote after suspension of the rules in the full house ... a commonly-used legislative procedure for non-controversial measures. Republican and Democratic leaders in the House had come to terms on the funding extension late last week. Many of the contentious provisions were stricken from the bill, avoiding another FAA shutdown just after President Obama had introduced his jobs package. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), however, said in a recent interview that he might try to block the bill over some of its highway provisions.

Passage of the bill was immediately praised by ACI-NA, which released a prepared statement within minutes of the vote. “After the major disruption to airport projects and jobs experienced during the two week FAA shut down in late July, the stability offered by this four month extension – the longest extension Congress has provided since September of 2009 - is welcomed by the airport industry," said Airports Council International-North America president Greg Princiapto (pictured). "This ten day-two month-three month approach to funding the FAA is not, as Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has said, the way to run the safest aviation system in the world.

“Airports play a central role in the economic development in communities both large and small across the country," he continued. "At a time when both the economy and job growth are on shaky ground, if the policy issues holding up final agreement on the FAA Reauthorization bill cannot be reached, ACI-NA asks that Congress provide a two year extension of the FAA’s operating authority in order to provide the stability needed to plan and move forward with needed improvements in the national aviation transportation system and to protect the integrity of the Aviation Trust Fund.”

FMI: www.house.gov, www.aci-na.org, Bill Text