Just hours after the House passed a short-term extension of FAA programs, the Senate cleared the measure, sending the president a bill to allow the agency to continue collecting and spending the tax revenues that keep the U.S. aviation system functioning.
The bill (HR 6984), which passed both chambers by voice vote, would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration through March 31, giving the new presidential administration and Congress a scant few months next year to redraft and pass another four-year reauthorization of the agency.
President Bush is expected to sign the bill.
Similar language also was included as part of a draft continuing resolution that would fund many government programs into next year. The FAA provision in that legislation would expire on March 6. The current authorization (PL 110-253) expires at the end of September.
"In order to continue to provide essential safety and capacity improvement funds to our airports, we must pass this extension," Jerry F. Costello, D-Ill., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, said just before the House passed the bill.
Earlier attempts at a four-year extension (HR 2881, S 1300) would have partially changed the way the aviation system is financed. But those proposals fell victim in May to partisan sniping and unrelated disputes in the Senate about highway funding.
Many lawmakers had declared the issue dead for the rest of the year and were resigned to start all over again in the 111th Congress. Indeed, the only action since the four-year bill fell apart has been a series of short-term extensions.
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