Congress considers shielding FAA from shutdowns
Proposed bill would utilize Airport and Airway Trust Fund
The 35-day partial government shutdown affected thousands of federal workers across the United States, but none likely bore the brunt of its impact more than the aviation industry. Seventeen thousand FAA employees were furloughed while more than 14,000 air traffic controllers went without pay. The disruption has led lawmakers to introduce new legislation aimed at ensuring the FAA remains operational in the event of another government shutdown.
Introduced on Feb. 8 by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), the Aviation Funding and Stability Act of 2019 ensures the FAA and all its programs will continue to run by drawing from its Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which currently has an uncommitted balance of more than $6 billion. The Airport and Airway Trust Fund generates revenue through many sources, including a passenger ticket tax, commercial fuel tax, avgas tax, and cargo taxes.
“We have the largest and most complex aviation system in the world. Aviation is an economic engine for our nation, and it drives jobs and revenue for communities across America. It’s vital that we find common ground to ensure it is not adversely impacted,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jim Coon.
A congressional hearing on the shutdown’s full impact on the aviation industry is taking place Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. A live stream is available.
