"Lawmakers Assail Bush Budget for FAA as House Readies New Extension"

February 11, 2008

CQ Today Midday Update

As the House prepares to take up another short-term extension of the Federal Aviation Administration’s funding authority, lawmakers are fretting about President Bush’s proposed budget for the agency.

At a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee last week, members of both parties criticized Bush’s plan to reduce funding for aviation programs.

“As everyone knows, this past year we have experienced record delays,” said Chairman Jerry F. Costello, D-Ill. “It’s very difficult for me to understand why the administration wants to cut the FAA’s total funding request by 1.8 percent at the same time it predicts that by 2014, without any change to the current air-traffic system, delays will be 62 percent higher than today.”

Rep. John J. “Jimmy” Duncan, R-Tenn., criticized Bush’s proposal to reduce funds for the Airport Improvement Program, which underwrites new runways and other improvements at airports around the country.

Duncan noted that the president requested $2.75 billion for the program in fiscal 2009, some $765 million less than was enacted for fiscal year 2008.

“I am concerned about the impact that reduced funding would have on our airports’ ability to keep up with capital-project needs, particularly at small and medium-sized airports,” Duncan said.

The House passed legislation last year to reauthorize a whole array of FAA programs and set out new funding goals for the agency. The Senate has not yet acted on a similar authorization, and the agency has been operating under a series of temporary authorizations since last Sept. 30.

 The House will take up another stopgap measure Tuesday to continue the FAA’s funding and contract authority through June 30.