House passes FAA extension
Potential issues in the Senate over flood insurance
With the Sept. 30 funding deadline approaching, the House of Representatives voted to pass a six-month FAA extension by a vote of 264 to 155.
The bill does not include controversial provisions to remove air traffic control from the FAA. Supporters of so-called ATC privatization are hoping for a separate House vote in October following the passage of the FAA extension.
A number of senators have spoken out against the flood insurance provisions that remain in the House bill, raising the possibility that the bill could be dropped or changed.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told Politico, “I think there are going to be some changes, but if I told you, I'd have to kill you.”
“It’s imperative that the House and Senate work together to get legislation to the president’s desk ahead of the deadline so politics don't cause a shutdown of the FAA and air traffic control,” said AOPA President and CEO Mark Baker.
Baker also said that AOPA, other general aviation groups, and pilots across America will “continue fighting against handing air traffic control over to the airlines,” and urged people to speak out against the proposal to their elected officials.
