FY2000 Appropriations:

President Clinton signed the $390 billion omnibus spending measure that

combined 5 appropriation bills on November 29, 1999. The Act includes a

0.38 percent across-the-board cut ($1.2 billion). Agencies are free to

implement the cut through selective reductions as long as no one program is

reduced by more than 15 percent. Agencies were to report to OMB last Friday

on how they intend to implement the 0.38 percent cut. OMB Director Jack Lew

directed the agencies to cut programs that were funded above the

Administration's budget request and/or to "reduce spending from the least

critical funding available to the agency." Historically, the FAA has

implemented these types of cuts through the AIP program.

GRASSROOTS/DISTRICT MEETINGS:

A flyer is being inserted in the next Fac Rep mailing (along with

invitations and stationary cards) encouraging all Fac Reps to invite their

members of Congress to tour their facilities during the Congressional

recess. In addition, I will be personally contacting the Fac Reps from

those 70 Level II and III facilities that were on the contracting out list.

Click here for a list of those facilities (by region) and the names of the Fac

Reps.

NATCA PAC EVENTS THIS WEEK

Monday, December 06, 1999, lunch for Diane Byrum (D). She is running for

the House seat (8th district of Michigan) being vacated by Rep. Debbie

Stabenow (D) who is running for the Senate.

Wednesday, December 8, 1999, lunch for Governor Thomas Carper (D-DE) who is

running for Senate against Senator William Roth (R-DE).

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From November 19:

Omnibus Appropriations bill: 

The House adjourned Thursday night after

passing the $385 billion omnibus spending measure by a vote of 296 to 135.

The Senate is expected to complete action on the bill on Saturday. The

second session of the 106th Congress is set to begin on January 27, 2000.

FAA Reauthorization: 

The House adjourned without acting on a Senate-passed

bill (S. 1916) that would reauthorize FAA funding and the airport

improvement grants for six months. Negotiations on long-term FAA

reauthorization broke down last week when conferees could not reach an

agreement on guaranteed funding for aviation programs.

House Special Election: 

Joe Baca (D) won the special election in

California's 42nd District with 52 percent of the vote on November 16, 1999.

NATCA supported Baca in his bid to succeed the late Rep. George Brown

(D-CA). Baca has been assigned to the Science and Agriculture Committees.

The House breakdown is now 222 Republicans, 212 Democrats and 1 Independent.

APPROPRIATIONS:

With an agreement reached on the foreign operations bill, members of

Congress and the Administration continue to work on the four other remaining

spending measures with action expected to be completed by Wednesday. The

Administration has repeatedly stated its opposition to the Republican plan

to cut all discretionary spending by about one percent. No deal has been

reached on this issue.

FAA REAUTHORIZATION:

With Congress now scheduled to adjourn on Wednesday, November 10, it looks

like FAA Reauthorization will continue to be an issue next year during the

second session of the 106th Congress. While staff continues to meet, FAA

Reauthorization Conferees are deadlocked over the handling of the Airway and

Airport Trust Fund and the general revenue contribution.

November 3, 1999

FY2000 APPR0PRIATIONS:

To date, 8 of the thirteen FY2000 Appropriation bills have been signed into

law. Of the remaining 5 measures: President Clinton vetoed the Foreign

Operations and Commerce-Justice-State spending bills; the Interior

conference report has been cleared but not yet sent to the President; and

the conference report (H.R. 3064) combining the Labor-HHS-Education and

District of Columbia has passed the House and Senate but is expected to be

vetoed by the President. The measure contains a 0.97 percent across the

board cut in all discretionary spending.

The current continuing resolution expires this Friday. November 10th is the

new official deadline for completing action on all appropriations bills.

Veteran's Day is the following day and a number of members of Congress, as

well as the President, have travel plans thereafter.

FAA REAUTHORIZATION:

Conferees continue to meet to resolve differences between the Senate passed

Air Transportation Improvement Act (S. 82) which would reauthorize the FAA

and related projects through FY2002 at $45 billion and the House passed

5-year, $59.3 billion FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 1000).

The budgetary treatment of the Airway and Airport Trust Fund remains one of

the most contentious issues to be resolved by the conferees. The House bill

(H.R. 1000) would take these funds off budget. Senator Hollings supports

the efforts of Congressman Bud Shuster (R-PA) to take the trust fund off

budget. The Senate bill is silent on this issue. Recently, Senate Conferee

and Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) put forth a proposal

guaranteeing that aviation projects be funded by the trust fund at least at

the same level as in 1997, but additional funding would be subject to the

appropriations process. Domenici opposes taking the trust fund "off

budget." Shuster has stated that Domenici's proposal is unacceptable.

.

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING:

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee is holding

a hearing on "Straight Out Departures At Newark Airport" on November 4 at

9:30 am in Room 2167 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington,

D.C. The hearing will examine various flight patterns out of Newark that

are believed to cause the least noise disturbance to nearby residents.

106th CONGRESSIONAL MAKE-UP:

Senator Robert Smith (R-NH) has returned to the Republican party, after 111

days as an Independent and a short-lived Presidential Campaign. Smith's

return to the Republican party elevates him to Chairman of the Senate

Environmental and Public Works Committee after the death on October 24 of

Senator John Chafee (R-RI). Senator Paul Coverdell (R-GA) will take

Chafee's seat on the Finance Committee.

On November 2, Lincoln Chafee was appointed by Governor Lincoln Almond

(R-RI) to fill out the remaining 14 months of his father's senate term.

Lincoln Chafee, who has been Mayor of Warwick since 1992, had been

campaigning for his father's seat since March.

Now, the Senate split is 55 Republicans to 45 Democrats.