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House approves temporary FAA bill
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03/29/11 05:53 PM ET
The House approved a temporary Federal Aviation Administration re-authorization bill Tuesday as a vote on a long-term bill looms later this week.
H.R. 1079, dubbed “Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011," was approved Tuesday on a voice vote. It continues FAA funding at current levels for 60 days, with an expiration date of May 31.
The House is set take up a longer four-year FAA bill, H.R. 658, this week. However, that measure has become embroiled in a controversy of union organizing for railway and airline employees.
Supporters of both FAA measures said they hoped Tuesday's vote foreshadowed passage of the larger appropriations bill.
"H.R. 1079 is the first, and hopefully last, FAA extension of the 112th Congress," House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-Wis.) said in a statement.
"It is a simple, clean, short-term extension of the FAA’s funding and programs,” Petri continued. “There is a strong commitment and much needed momentum to finally complete a long-term FAA bill, more than three years after the last reauthorization expired, and I fully believe we will do so.”
“Later this week, the House will consider a long-term, job-creating, fiscally responsible reauthorization of the FAA,” House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John L. Mica (R-Fla) said in a statement.
“Today’s extension will ensure that aviation programs continue to operate while Congress continues its work on legislation to set the policies and priorities for this critical leg of our nation’s economy,” Mica said.
H.R. 1079, dubbed “Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011," was approved Tuesday on a voice vote. It continues FAA funding at current levels for 60 days, with an expiration date of May 31.
The House is set take up a longer four-year FAA bill, H.R. 658, this week. However, that measure has become embroiled in a controversy of union organizing for railway and airline employees.
Supporters of both FAA measures said they hoped Tuesday's vote foreshadowed passage of the larger appropriations bill.
"H.R. 1079 is the first, and hopefully last, FAA extension of the 112th Congress," House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-Wis.) said in a statement.
"It is a simple, clean, short-term extension of the FAA’s funding and programs,” Petri continued. “There is a strong commitment and much needed momentum to finally complete a long-term FAA bill, more than three years after the last reauthorization expired, and I fully believe we will do so.”
“Later this week, the House will consider a long-term, job-creating, fiscally responsible reauthorization of the FAA,” House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John L. Mica (R-Fla) said in a statement.
“Today’s extension will ensure that aviation programs continue to operate while Congress continues its work on legislation to set the policies and priorities for this critical leg of our nation’s economy,” Mica said.
