10-23-1999

TRANSPORTATION: FAA Legislation Circles Conference

Negotiations to resolve the differences between competing House and Senate
versions of legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration
had been grounded in dense fog, but there were signs on Oct. 20 that the
skies may be about to clear.


Rep. Bud Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, signaled that he is now willing to compromise on
the biggest issue facing the negotiators: the House's proposal to take the
$10 billion-a-year aviation trust fund "off-budget."


Shuster is no longer insisting that the trust fund be completely walled
off from any use but aviation spending. Despite a 316-110 House vote in
June in favor of taking the trust fund off-budget, Shuster said that
"because unlocking the trust fund, in some fashion, is so
important...we're certainly flexible and prepared to
compromise."


Sen. Pete V. Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
said the concerns in the House about spending more on aviation could be
addressed without having to insulate the trust fund from the
appropriations process. Domenici said his opposition to moving the trust
fund off-budget is shared by "a majority of the Senate."


Working out a compromise may take many more meetings. And other
differences must be resolved, including how much money to give the FAA,
and for how long. The House approved $57.3 billion over five years; the
Senate approved $34.6 billion over three years.


The two bills also differ on airline competition issues. The Senate
version would deregulate the number of FAA-allowed "slots" for
landings and takeoffs at New York's Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, which
would allow more airlines to fly more planes in and out of those airports.
The Senate bill also would increase the number of available slots at
Washington's Reagan National Airport.


The conferees agreed on numerous minor issues, including liberalized
provisions for runway-paving funds, innovative financing allowances for
smaller airports, and whistle-blower protections for FAA employees.



Robert Ourlian

National Journal