ACC Legislative News
An e-mail supplement to AirportConsulting,
ACC's quarterly magazine
Prepared by T.J. Schulz, ACC Vice President
Congress Clears FY 2010 DOT/FAA Spending Bill - $3.5 for AIP
1. House Introduces Second Stimulus/Jobs Bill with $500
Million in AIP Funding
2. Congress Approves Three-Month Authorization Extension for FAA
through March 31
3. Congress Clears FY 2010 DOT/FAA Spending Bill; $3.5
Billion for AIP
1) House Unveils Second Stimulus/Job
Creation Bill; ACC Urges Airport Funding
The House of Representatives yesterday unveiled a job creation
bill that contains $48 billion in infrastructure spending,
including $500 million in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding. The
bill sets similar conditions for the obligation of the funding as
provided in the first stimulus package. It directs the U.S. Department
of Transportation obligate the funding within 120 days and that
preference is given to projects that can be completed within two
years.
Prospects for a jobs bill in the Senate are unclear since it is
currently debating health care legislation. It seems apparent that
consideration of the jobs legislation will be pushed into early next
year due to the busy Senate calendar.
On Dec. 11, ACC sent a letter to Democratic
leaders urging Congress to include airport funding in the
next jobs bill. Noting FAA's successful track record in obligating the
airport funding under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, the
letter states, "The funding should be set at a level determined by FAA
that can be obligated within the timeframes established by Congress.
This investment will not only create and maintain jobs, but will also
serve to improve the safety and performance of our nation's airport
facilities."
2) Congress Approves Three-Month
Authorization Extension for FAA
Last week Congress cleared a bill (H.R. 4217) that extends FAA's
authorization through March 31, 2010. The bill authorizes $2 billion in
AIP funding from Oct. 1, 2009 - March 31, 2010. This is the eighth
extension passed by Congress since FAA's authorization expired on Sept.
30, 2007.
The Senate originally wanted an extension through the end of the
fiscal year but eventually relented to the House's desire to have a
shorter term bill. The overall plan is to have the Senate consider and
pass its reauthorization proposal early next year so the House and
Senate can go to conference and develop a final bill by the time the
extension expires. However, the Senate calendar will likely be full with
high-profile legislation next year including climate change, a stimulus
package and the possible carryover of the health care debate.
3) Congress Clears FY 2010 DOT/FAA
Appropriations Bill; $3.5 Billion for AIP
The House and Senate cleared the final FY 2010 Department of
Transportation/FAA appropriations bill (H.R. 3288), which has been sent
to the president for his signature. The bill keeps AIP funding at $3.515
billion for the fifth year in a row.
While FAA has appropriations available for the remainder of FY 2010,
keep in mind that it will only have the authority to obligate $2 billion
in grants AIP until March 31, 2010 under the three-month authorization
extension mentioned above.
The measure includes over 90 earmarks for FAA, including 75 AIP
projects worth $64.5 million and 12 Facilities and Equipment (F&E)
projects worth $11.65 million. The list of projects is included on pages
469-475 of the .pdf (not the page number) of the bill
report.
Here is a summary of the final spending levels included in H.R.
4217.
Federal Aviation Administration FY 2010 Funding
Summary: (in billions)
|
|
FY 2009
|
FY 2010 - House Proposal
|
FY 2010 - Senate Proposal
|
H.R. 4217 - Final
|
|
Overall FAA Funding
|
$15.47
|
$15.98
|
$15.99
|
$15.99
|
|
AIP
|
$3.515*
|
$3.515
|
$3.515
|
$3.515
|
|
Facilities & Equipment
|
$2.742*
|
$2.925
|
$2.942
|
$2.936
|
|
Operations
|
$9.042
|
$9.347
|
$9.359
|
$9.350
|
|
ACRP
|
$.015
|
$.015
|
$.015
|
$.015
|
*Does not reflect $1.1 billion in AIP and $200 million in F&E
provided in the economic stimulus bill
Questions?
If you have questions, feel free to contact ACC Vice
President T.J. Schulz at TJS@ACConline.org.
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