Airport Alert: Agreement on Final FY23 Spending Framework Reached; One-Week CR Needed to Finalize Package
December 14, 2022
House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders announced that they have come to an agreement on a bipartisan, bicameral framework for an FY23 omnibus spending package to fund the federal government through the fiscal year that ends on September 30, 2023. Leaders hope to pass the legislation by Christmas.
With a framework now in place, appropriators can now begin to finalize spending amounts for the various departments and agencies. This process will take several days, and with current funding for the federal government set to expire on December 16, Congress will have to pass another continuing resolution (CR) to buy more time to assemble the final spending package. As a result, the House is set to pass a week-long CR today that will extend federal funding until December 23. We expect that the Senate will follow suit before the week is over to avoid a government shutdown.
Next week, Congress will be on a time crunch to release the final FY23 spending package and pass it through both chambers before the expected December 23 deadline. While most lawmakers will be itching to pass the spending package and recess before the holidays, there will need to be unanimous consent in the Senate to expedite its passage. With some conservative senators already opposed to the spending package given its expected, massive price tag, this is no sure thing. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has also threatened that if the omnibus bill is not finished by December 22, he will only accept a yearlong CR, complicating matters further. This is important given that at least 10 Republican senators will be needed to overcome a filibuster to pass the omnibus in the Senate. While we expect some retiring GOP members and members of the Appropriations Committee to ultimately support the legislation, it is still unclear if the bill will garner the necessary support from Republicans to move forward.
While the path ahead remains uncertain, the announcement today that the finish line for the FY23 spending package is in sight is welcome news. Airports continue to be in a strong position on our priorities in the pending FY23 spending bills that have worked their way through the process to this point. The House and Senate versions of the FY23 DOT/FAA spending bill proposed $3.35 billion for AIP, between $272.6 million and $517 million for supplemental AIP funding, and at least a $10 million increase for the Contract Tower Program. Additionally, the House and Senate versions of the FY23 DHS spending bill both propose $94.1 million for TSA to continue to staff exit lanes and provide funding for LEO reimbursement grants. We continue our work to ensure that airport priorities are protected as part of a final FY23 spending package and will have additional details out to you as soon as they become available.
