The FAA is staged to receive a $1.576 billion boost under a Fiscal Year 2025 funding bill approved by the House transportation, housing, and urban development (THUD) subcommittee last week. Approved by voice vote, with some on the Democrat side stating opposition to lack of Amtrak funding and other non-FAA-related items, the bill would provide $21.657 billion for FY2025, which starts October 1.
Of that, House appropriators would provide $13.588 billion for the FAA’s operations, including funding for the hiring of 2,000 air traffic controllers. The bill includes language that would direct the FAA to create a hiring and staffing plan surrounding its certification workforce, similar to the one for controllers. It also would preserve the contract tower program with $256 million, maintain the weight limitations at Teterboro Airport, and continue programs to shield the privacy of business aircraft movements.
Of the operations budget, $11.771 billion would come from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, paid through the aviation excise taxes, while the remainder would come from the general federal budget.
Meanwhile, in line with the recently passed FAA reauthorization bill, the Airport Improvement Program would see a bump to $4 billion, while facilities and equipment funding was set at $3.55 billion and research, engineering, and development at $260 million.
The bill heads next for full House Appropriations Committee approval before receiving full House approval.
Rich Santa, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, praised the increased funding. “This bill provides important funding increases to allow the FAA to meet the requirements of the recently enacted FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, including hiring much-needed new controller trainees and making additional progress repairing and replacing aging equipment and technology,” Santa said. “We recognize that additional modifications to the annual appropriations bills may be required before they gain widespread bipartisan and bicameral support, in keeping with practice in recent years. To that end, we urge Congressional leadership to reject budget brinkmanship, reach bipartisan agreement on overall funding levels, pass full-year funding, and avoid any government shutdowns later this year.”