Congress averts shutdown, sends spending package to president
Bill includes funding for pilot workforce development program
Congress has passed and sent to President Donald Trump fiscal-year 2020 appropriations legislation that provides $17.6 billion for the FAA, including $3.35 billion for the airport improvement program and $10 million for workforce grant programs strongly supported by AOPA.
The aviation funding was part of a $1.4 trillion government-funding legislative package Trump is expected to sign on December 20.
The bill also includes $10 million for aviation workforce development—$5 million each for the two new pilot and aviation technician workforce grant programs established in last year’s FAA reauthorization bill.
The funding is a win for AOPA and the aviation industry as the sector works to introduce high school students to aviation through STEM-based aviation curriculum, grow the pilot population, and address aviation maintenance technician shortages. The pilot education grant program will help organizations support the creation and delivery of curriculum and teacher development designed to provide high school students with meaningful STEM and aviation education, and develop the next generation of commercial, GA, drone, and military pilots.
The pilot education program advances AOPA’s goal of bringing aviation-based STEM education to high school students nationwide.
Leading supporters of the aviation workforce programs included Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Several members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees were also instrumental in supporting funding for these programs.
