Posted on March - 28 - 2010

Congress extends FAA funding for one month

WASHINGTON — Just before they adjourned for a two-week recess, the House and Senate passed a one-month extension of the Federal Aviation Administration bill that keeps funding aviation programs beyond the looming March 31 deadline.

The House acted Thursday night, and the Senate’s bill was handled by a unanimous consent request by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Friday afternoon.

The House and Senate have passed new FAA reauthorization bills that include money for modernized navigation systems and construction projects, but haven’t been able to reconcile their versions. A major difference in the bills is House language that would make it easier for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to organize some employees at Memphis-based FedEx Express. That language is not in the Senate measure.

Instead of resolving their differences, the House and Senate passed extensions of the old bill, which has been extended repeatedly for short periods since it expired in 2007. It now expires April 30.

“Though the length of the extension is different than the original proposal, our focus remains the same, which is to keep the UPS competitive bailout from becoming law,” said FedEx spokesman Maury Lane.

“Virtually all of the members of the Senate appear to agree with this objective, and we applaud their pro free-market stance.”

— Bartholomew Sullivan: (202) 408-2726

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