HOUSE PASSES APPROPRIATIONS LEGISLATION TO FUND FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
July 24, 2009
What’s at Issue
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to fund transportation programs for the Department of Transportation and the modes of transportation under its jurisdiction including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for fiscal year 2010 (FY10).
Why It’s Important
With the end of the fiscal year approaching, the House is working to pass all 12 appropriations bills that set the funding levels for all federal programs and agencies. While this is the first step in the process, it is possible that the U.S. Senate will take up the bill once it passes the House in an effort to finish the legislation before the September 30 deadline.
Major Provisions
Department of Transportation
- $76.6 billion is provided for the Department of Transportation, an increase of seven percent over last year’s FY09 bill.
- FAA – $15.9 billion is included for funding and other provisions of the agency. This is an increase of $512 million over last year’s level and $26 million more than the President’s budget request.
- FAA Operations: $9.3 billion is included for operations, an increase of $304 million.
- RNAV/RNP procedure development – The bill provides $32 million for the further development of area navigation (RNAV) and required navigation performance (RNP) procedures. The committee understands that the FAA intends to publish more than 200 performance-based navigation procedures in FY10 and supports the development of additional procedures as a mechanism to increase capacity and reduce emissions.
- NextGen staffing increases – Thebill provides $5 million for 75 additional positions to support the agency’s transformation to NextGen.
- Aviation Safety – The bill provides $1.2 billion for aviation safety, an increase of $67 million above last year’s level. The increase in funding is provided to hire 136 flight standards inspectors and an additional 50 aircraft certification inspectors.
- Facilities and Equipment (F&E): $2.9 billion is provided for F&E, an increase of $183 million above last year’s level, to modernize and improve air traffic control and airway facilities.
- Instrument landing system establishment – The bill provides $11.2 million for instrument landing systems. These funds are to be distributed to the following airports:
- $520,000 – Castle Airport ILS, CA
- $500,000 – Hazard-Perry County Airport ILS, Hazard, KY
- $500,000 – Kinston Regional Jetport ILS upgrade, NC
- $280,000 – Napa County Airport glide slope/Runway 36L, CA
- $800,000 – Southern Vermont Regional Airport lighting, North Clarendon, VT
- Research, Engineering & Development: $195 million is provided, an increase of $17 million above last year’s level. $15 million is provided for clean fuels research and $2 million for materials research and training.
- Airport Improvement Program (AIP): $3.515 is provided for AIP, the same funding level has been provided for AIP for the past four years. (However, if FAA reauthorization legislation becomes law this year, an additional $4 billion would be authorized for the AIP program in 2010.)
- FAA Administrative Provision: Prohibits funds from being used to change weight restrictions or prior permission rules at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
NATA Position
NATA is pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives has moved forward on completing appropriations legislation to fund transportation program adequately for FY10. Funding for federal aviation programs is critical to the FAA’s mission of providing a safe national aviation system.
Status
It is possible that the Senate will focus on appropriations legislation when they return from August recess, making it possible for the Transportation Appropriations bill to be finalized before the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2009.
To view the FY10 Transportation Appropriations bill, please click here.
Staff Contact: Kristen Moore
Director, Legislative Affairs
kmoore@nata.aero