U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVES $15.7 BILLION IN FAA FUNDING FOR 2015
June 11, 2014
Contact: Steve Hedges
301-695-2159
[email protected]
FREDERICK, Md. – The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday voted to provide $15.7 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration in fiscal year 2015, representing a slight increase from the current $15.6 billion funding level.
Significantly, the bill prohibits the imposition of aviation user fees and also fees for digital navigational charts.
The bill also directs the FAA to use funding to support the Small Airplane Revitalization Act, which would streamline Part 23 certification of small airplanes.
“This bill includes several GA related provisions and we appreciate the House moving on this important piece of legislation,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “We are pleased to see that the bill does not include President Obama’s user fee proposal and that it does include funding to support the Part 23 revisions process, which will help bring down the cost of aircraft and improve safety. We are looking for the House and Senate to come together and send a pro-GA bill to the president.”
Other elements of the bill that directly impact general aviation include:
• $252.2 million for ADS–B NAS Wide Implementation, up from $247.2 in the FAA’s budget request;
• $103.6 million for Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) for GPS;
• $6 million to support development of lead-free aviation gasoline, an increase from the $5.7 million in the president’s request;
• $140 million for the Contract Tower Program, of which $9.4 million is for the contract tower cost share program.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee last week approved its own version of the FAA bill, proposing $15.86 billion in FY2015. It is awaiting full Senate approval.
Once both chambers have passed their bills, the measures will be taken up by a conference committee of both House and Senate members. They will hash out the differences in the two bills and then send a final version to the White House for the president’s signature.
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Since 1939, AOPA has protected the freedom to fly for thousands of pilots, aircraft owners and aviation enthusiasts. AOPA is the world’s largest aviation member association, with representatives based in Frederick, Md., Washington, D.C., and seven regions across the United States. AOPA provides member services that range from advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels to legal services, flight planning products, safety programs and award-winning media. To learn more, visit www.aopa.org.
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