Story ID: 
House, Senate Eyeing Another FAA Extension
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: House leaders introduced bill for extension to March 8
Word Count: 208
With the U.S. Senate still appearing at loggerheads over a long-term FAA reauthorization bill, House Transportation and Infrastructure leaders have introduced another short-term extension of the agency’s operating authority and aviation excise, this time to March 8.
The bill offered by T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-Missouri) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Washington) would provide more time not only for the Senate to work through its issues over the bill, but also for the House and Senate to hash out the differences of their FAA reauthorization packages.
Shortly before the FAA’s authorization was set to expire at the end of September, lawmakers pushed through an extension to the end of the year. But few legislative days remain this year as both chambers plan to break for the holidays at the end of this week.
While understanding the necessity of the latest extension, general aviation groups have urged lawmakers to reach an agreement, saying that continued short-term extensions of the FAA’s authorization “challenge the certainty that industry and the FAA depend on to enable long-term planning and investment in many critical areas required to ensure the safety of the NAS and America’s global leadership in aviation.”