By Ron Thaniel
July 14, 2003

The House and Senate both passed on June 12 the aviation reauthorization bills increasing funding for the Aviation Improvement Program.

House Summary

The House of Representatives June 11, on a vote of 418-8 passed H.R. 2115, the Flight 100 - Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, by a near unanimous vote.

The House bill reauthorizes the FAA for four years at $58.9 billion including increased funding for the Airport Improvement Program to $3.4 billion in fiscal year 2004 and moving to $4 billion by 2007. The bill maintains the budgetary protections that cover AIP, making it difficult and unlikely that Congress will divert the funds to other purposes.

Funding for the Essential Air Service program would be set at $115 million annually. The House bill also funds the Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program at $35 million per year.

The House bill included provisions from previous legislation on streamlining, including coordinated permit review, to allow for more comprehensive and quicker decision making on capacity improvement projects.

Unlike the Senate, the House did not include provisions that would create a security expense fund of $500 million annually from the $2.50 security fee. The Senate consideration of the aviation reauthorization bill is awaiting the resolution of this matter with the Appropriations Committee.

The House bill would allow airports to use federal grant money to install explosive detection systems for checked luggage and would authorize $100 million to reimburse general aviation for financial losses incurred since September 11, 2001.

Senate Summary

The Senate by a vote of 94-0 passed its bill, S. 824, the Aviation Investment and Revitalization Vision Act on Thursday, June 12.

The Senate bill reauthorizes the FAA for three years at $43.5 billion.

The three-year reauthorization includes many provisions similar to the House version, including: increased funding for AIP starting at $3.4 billion in fiscal year 2004 and increasing in $100 million increments which allow it to hit $3.6 billion in fiscal year 2006; extending budgetary protections for this funding; funding EAS at $113 million annually and the Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program at a somewhat reduced level of $27.5 million per year; and streamlined project delivery language.

During floor consideration, the provisions in the Senate bill to create an aviation security capital fund to help cover increased security costs out of the existing $2.50 per passenger Security Fee were dropped. This makes the security capital fund subject to the regular appropriations process.

The Senate bill would allow cargo pilots to carry firearms and would not increase the number of flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Both bills prohibit the FAA from transferring air traffic control jobs to private companies.

The Bush Administration has expressed strong opposition to the provisions related to air traffic personnel matters, and has asserted that it also worked to reduce the funding levels so they would conform with the administration's requested funding levels.