Month: May 2024

Both chambers will resume legislative business this week as lawmakers look to clear a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ahead of Friday’s deadline. While the FAA Reauthorization Act cleared the Senate’s latest procedural vote late last week, negotiations are still ongoing with respect to votes on a series of amendments that are both germane and nongermane to aviation. Notable amendments that have been filed to the bill pertain to: (1) credit card swipe fees; (2) extending the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP); (3) children’s online safety legislation; (4) perimeter slots at DCA; and (5) raising the pilot retirement age. If Congress is unable to move to clear the bill in time, another short-term extension will be needed to keep the agency operational.

Both chambers will resume legislative business next week as lawmakers look to clear a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ahead of the May 10 deadline. While the FAA Reauthorization Act cleared the Senate’s latest procedural vote during yesterday’s session, negotiations are still ongoing with respect to votes on a series of amendments that are both germane and nongermane to aviation. Notable amendments that have been filed to the bill that pertain to: (1) credit card swipe fees; (2) extending the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP); (3) children’s online safety legislation; (4) perimeter slots at DCA; and (5) raising the pilot retirement age. If the Senate is unable to move the bill in time for next Friday’s deadline, another short-term extension could be needed to keep the agency operational.

Senators will gavel in for legislative business today as they look to advance a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The first procedural vote on the FAA Reauthorization Act will occur around 3:00 PM EST today, and the measure is expected to advance with bipartisan support. However, leadership is still navigating a series of policy disagreements on aviation and non-aviation issues that have, so far, presented roadblocks to a “time agreement” to speed up consideration for a final vote this week. Stay tuned for additional announcements on votes related to the FAA reauthorization during today’s session.

• Situational awareness. Lingering aviation policy disagreements, particularly around a provision to add additional perimeter slots at DCA, as well as the pilot retirement age and training requirements, could be relitigated on the Senate floor by way of the bill’s amendment process. Some lawmakers — including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — have also been pushing for the inclusion of banking and financial services-related provisions on cannabis banking, stablecoins, and more, but these efforts have not been embraced by the authors of the final FAA bill. Congress must reauthorize the FAA by Friday, May 10 to avoid a lapse in agency operations.