Story ID: 
House Passes One-week Funding Extension 
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: The move to fund government agencies through December 18 would avoid a shutdown and provide time for further coronavirus aide negotiations.
Word Count: 231
The U.S. House on Wednesday passed 343-67 a measure to extend government-wide funding—including for the Department of Transportation and the FAA—by one week until December 18 as talks continue on full-year Fiscal 2021 bills, as well as a coronavirus relief package. The government is currently funded through December 11 under a stopgap measure adopted in September. Facing that deadline, the Senate is expected to consider the one-week extension before the end of the week, averting a shutdown.

This extra week is designed to provide time for lawmakers to finish hashing out key spending programs, but also provide time to possibly strike a compromise on coronavirus relief in tandem. While details of a final coronavirus relief package are still unclear, a bipartisan $908 billion compromise bill under discussion includes an extension of the Payroll Support Program for air carriers and related support companies through March 31, 2021, as well as funding for airports. It would also extend the Paycheck Protection Program.

However, NATA noted that few details are available, including funding levels for these programs. Noting the limited time left on the legislative calendar, NATA warned members that “prospects have grown slimmer” for agreement on a comprehensive package.

In other action on Capitol Hill, the House on Thursday approved H.R.5040, the Air Safety Act, which calls for a study on interference of drones on wildfire suppression.