Senate Joins House In Passing FAA Extension

On June 26, 2008, the Senate passed a bill extending funding and authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through September 2008. The House passed a corresponding bill on June 24. The Senate action came four days before the expiration of the last extension, on June 30, and was approved amid reports that the FAA stood ready to furlough over 4,000 employees if funding was not secured.

The extension came only after a contentious debate regarding a potential amendment which would have authorized an $8 billion bailout for the troubled Highway Trust Fund, which supports federal highway projects. Senate Republicans opposed the measure and it was dropped to ensure passage of the extension.

Remember – the passage of this extension only delays the upcoming reauthorization battle until September. The maintenance industry must protect its interests against potentially devastating amendments, such as the one introduced by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) as a stand-alone bill (S. 3090), which ARSA is vehemently opposing.