At this point, some funding is
better than no funding at all.
The House of Representatives has passed
a short-term funding bill
that will keep the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) going until March 8.
The Senate still has to pass its own
companion bill by year¡¯s end to ensure that the funding and authority of the
FAA doesn¡¯t run out. The vote in the House of Representatives was
overwhelmingly in favor, 376-15.
The
FAA reauthorization was supposed to last five years, beginning September 30.
But it got caught up in the federal budget crunch, hence the short-term bills.
The FAA has been under scrutiny for a shortage of air traffic controllers and
an alarming number of near-misses on runways and in the air.
The Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has apparently held up the
full Senate from passing its version of a reauthorization bill.?
The House
Transportation Committee did release a statement.
"Because of
the Senate's inaction, today's extension is necessary to ensure the continued
safe operation of our aviation system," the statement reads. "But
make no mistake -- the Senate must promptly act on a long-term bill, as a
series of short-term extensions hamstrings FAA operations, maintains outdated
policies, and fails to provide critical policy updates for aviation safety,
efficiency, innovation and more.¡±
The reported
dispute over pilot training appears to have been settled, perhaps paving the
way for the Senate to pass its version of a reauthorization bill.
However, a potential
government shutdown
would significantly affect the FAA.
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