Members of the US Senate and House of Representatives have reached an agreement for a funding extension for FAA to end a partial shutdown of the agency that began on 23 July.
The shutdown resulted from the chambers failing to agree on the 21st funding extension for the agency, which has been running under temporary funding schemes since the latest long-term reauthorisation expired in 2007.
House Republications in the latest extension attempted to insert language capping subsidies under the Essential Air Service programme (EAS) to $1,000 per passenger. But Senators argued that was a change to FAA policy not agreed to by both chambers.
Other political differences have prohibited both chambers from reaching a long-term FAA funding reauthorisation, including a provision introduced by the House in its proposed version of the bill that would reverse union election procedures at US airlines. President Obama has threatened to veto any authorisation that contains that provision.
During the shutdown 4,000 FAA employees were furloughed and numerous airport projects were put on hold.
Recently Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood noted that an act of Congress would be necessary for those workers to recoup wages lost during the shutdown.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
