On May 23, the House Appropriations Committee approved their version of the FY 2019 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill by a vote of 34 to 17. The funding legislation includes a number of priorities PASS lobbied to include while providing the FAA with full funding. PASS worked with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to secure language aimed at improving staffing and training for the technical and safety workforces.
The House report language directs the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to update and review its training tools for the technical workforce upon release of an anticipated report this summer on the placement and staffing of technicians. Additionally, the House appropriators expressed their support of language in the recently passed House FAA reauthorization bill (H.R.4) that requires the OIG to audit the aviation safety inspector staffing model. The committee directs the OIG to conduct a review of the FAA’s safety inspector training program and to provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment.
The House bill funds the Department of Transportation (DOT) for FY 2019 with $27.8 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of more than $542 million from the current fiscal year and almost $12 billion more than the administration proposed. Included in the DOT budget is $17.71 billion for the FAA, which is $309 million less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $1.56 billion, or 9 percent, above the administration’s request for fiscal year 2019.
For the operations account, the House committee recommends a total of $10.4 billion for FAA operations, which is $199 million more than the FY 2018 enacted levels and $480 million more than the budget request. Within the operations account is $7.84 billion for the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) which is an increase of $147 million over the FY 2018 enacted levels and $344 million more than the administration’s budget request. Aviation Safety (AVS) also falls within the operations account and the committee recommends $1.34 billion for FY 2019, which is nearly $30 million more than FY 2018 enacted levels and $63 million more than the budget request. The legislation also recommends $60.7 million for operations and planning related to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) which is $730,000 more than the enacted FY 2018 level.
Additionally, the committee recommends $56 million for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) integration activities within the operations account. This is a $5 million increase above the FY 2018 level. The committee directs the FAA to issue a report on how the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and the unmanned traffic management (UTM) pilot program (UPP) support the commercial development of the UTM network, the key milestones of each program and the timeline to reach full UTM integration. The committee also takes a proactive approach to the integration of large UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). Included in the language, the committee directs the FAA to issue an additional report on the anticipated economic benefits of large unmanned aircraft in cargo as well as passenger applications.
The legislation includes $3.25 billion for the facilities and equipment account which is the same as the FY 2018 enacted level and $483 million less than the budget request. Additional funding is included within the facilities and equipment account to support the integration of UAS into the NAS. To accelerate integration, the committee includes $ 25 million for UAS activities within the Engineering, Development, Testing and Evaluation activity, an increase of $11 million above the budget request.
The committee provides $180 million for the research, engineering and development account, which is $8.9 million less than the enacted level and $106 million above the budget request.
On Thursday, May 24, The Senate Appropriations Committee approved spending allocations including $71.4 billion for the transportation spending bill. Senate Appropriations leaders want the panel to approve all the bills before the Fourth of July break. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also said he is looking “to turn to appropriations bills in June,” and he has spoken with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) “about the need to package some of these bills into minibuses to get them across the floor.”
PASS will continue to work with lawmakers throughout the appropriations process to ensure the FAA receives adequate funding and to fight any language that could negatively impact PASS members.
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