FAA Funding Bill Draws White House Fire for ATC Cuts

In a largely party-line vote of 30-21, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2016 transportation funding bill yesterday, but came under criticism for steep cuts in the FAA’s facilities and equipment account and other transportation areas such as Amtrak. Before clearing the bill, the committee approved an amendment shaving $22 million from the proposed nearly $16 billion FAA budget to help plump funds for the Washington Metro Transit Authority. The FAA’s overall budget would receive a slight boost from FY2015, but deep cuts are made in facilities and equipment while airport funding would rise.

The White House has proposed cutting airport funding and raising passenger facility charges and thus objected to the proposed $355 million FAA facilities and equipment account drop. This slashed funding would mark the lowest level for facilities and equipment in 15 years, hampering the agency’s ability to maintain the current system and slowing modernization efforts, the White House said.

The committee also acknowledged efforts to create a separate organization to run the nation’s ATC system, but made it clear it expects Congress to retain its oversight over the budget. “A key issue in the reauthorization of the FAA is whether to reform the structure…to give the agency more independence and control over agency resources,” the committee said. “The committee believes that congressional oversight of agency resources is necessary to ensure accountability for program performance and a sustained focus on aviation safety.”