Airport Alert: Democratic Congressional Leaders Release Blueprint for $1.9 Trillion in Coronavirus Relief
February 1, 2021
While a group of 10 Senate Republicans were at the White House this afternoon pressing President Biden for a scaled-back, $618 billion relief package they argued could earn bipartisan support, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced they have filed a joint budget framework to enact the $1.9 trillion in relief sought by President Biden in his comprehensive American Rescue Plan. The House Budget Committee has posted the text and an overview of the $1.9 trillion budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 11).
According to the Democratic leaders, "Introduction of a joint budget resolution is the first step to potentially enacting a Budget Reconciliation bill, one legislative tool available to Congress to quickly pass bipartisan COVID relief legislation. The Resolution outlines the ‘reconciliation instructions' for each House and Senate committee, or how much funding can be spent in their jurisdiction. If both the House and Senate pass identical Budget Resolutions (which do not require a Presidential signature), both chambers can begin work on the Reconciliation bill that is signed by the President."
Pelosi and Schumer add that while they are hopeful that Republicans will work in a bipartisan manner to support assistance, "the American people cannot afford any more delays and the Congress must act to prevent more needless suffering."
What's Next?
The House Rules Committee will meet tomorrow afternoon to set the stage for House consideration of the budget resolution later this week. A Senate version, which is expected to be identical except for committee names, could also be considered in the Senate this week. Following House and Senate passage of identical versions, House and Senate committees will have just a few weeks until mid-February to produce their individual pieces of the $1.9 trillion package, which will then be assembled into a final reconciliation bill – which can pass the House and Senate on simple majority votes under special rules.
What Does it Mean for Airports/Transportation?
Unclear at the moment. The budget resolution provides $95.6 billion to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the many programs under its jurisdiction, including aviation, highways, transit, and FEMA. Pelosi and Schumer note that the budget resolution assumes funding for a long list of items, including "crucial investments in broadband and distance learning and relief for Amtrak and the aviation sector struggling with declining revenues and volumes due to COVID-19."
Jeff Davis, a well-known transportation funding expert from the Eno Center for Transportation, has done some immediate analysis and cautions that a big portion of the $95.6 billion could be destined for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund since that program is under the jurisdiction of the Transportation Committee. While Davis notes that there could be enough funding to also address transit (a top priority for Leader Schumer and others), airports, concessionaires, the payroll support program funds for airlines, Amtrak, highways, and others, nothing is set in stone. He adds that the Transportation Committee isn't bound by any assumptions in the budget resolution; leaders only need to assemble a package that hits the $95.6 billion, 10-year target.
Airport Help Needed to Press for Additional Support
With so much in flux, it is essential that airports continue to weigh in with your elected officials to highlight the situation at your airport and your ongoing needs. Your specifics are likely to be the most impactful information for your individual House and Senate members, so we have included draft talking points below that lead with that along with the broader industry "asks."
Things will be moving quickly over the next few, critical weeks so we urge you to contact your House members and Senators as soon as possible.
Draft Talking Points – Additional Relief
While a group of 10 Senate Republicans were at the White House this afternoon pressing President Biden for a scaled-back, $618 billion relief package they argued could earn bipartisan support, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced they have filed a joint budget framework to enact the $1.9 trillion in relief sought by President Biden in his comprehensive American Rescue Plan. The House Budget Committee has posted the text and an overview of the $1.9 trillion budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 11).
According to the Democratic leaders, "Introduction of a joint budget resolution is the first step to potentially enacting a Budget Reconciliation bill, one legislative tool available to Congress to quickly pass bipartisan COVID relief legislation. The Resolution outlines the ‘reconciliation instructions' for each House and Senate committee, or how much funding can be spent in their jurisdiction. If both the House and Senate pass identical Budget Resolutions (which do not require a Presidential signature), both chambers can begin work on the Reconciliation bill that is signed by the President."
Pelosi and Schumer add that while they are hopeful that Republicans will work in a bipartisan manner to support assistance, "the American people cannot afford any more delays and the Congress must act to prevent more needless suffering."
What's Next?
The House Rules Committee will meet tomorrow afternoon to set the stage for House consideration of the budget resolution later this week. A Senate version, which is expected to be identical except for committee names, could also be considered in the Senate this week. Following House and Senate passage of identical versions, House and Senate committees will have just a few weeks until mid-February to produce their individual pieces of the $1.9 trillion package, which will then be assembled into a final reconciliation bill – which can pass the House and Senate on simple majority votes under special rules.
What Does it Mean for Airports/Transportation?
Unclear at the moment. The budget resolution provides $95.6 billion to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the many programs under its jurisdiction, including aviation, highways, transit, and FEMA. Pelosi and Schumer note that the budget resolution assumes funding for a long list of items, including "crucial investments in broadband and distance learning and relief for Amtrak and the aviation sector struggling with declining revenues and volumes due to COVID-19."
Jeff Davis, a well-known transportation funding expert from the Eno Center for Transportation, has done some immediate analysis and cautions that a big portion of the $95.6 billion could be destined for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund since that program is under the jurisdiction of the Transportation Committee. While Davis notes that there could be enough funding to also address transit (a top priority for Leader Schumer and others), airports, concessionaires, the payroll support program funds for airlines, Amtrak, highways, and others, nothing is set in stone. He adds that the Transportation Committee isn't bound by any assumptions in the budget resolution; leaders only need to assemble a package that hits the $95.6 billion, 10-year target.
Airport Help Needed to Press for Additional Support
With so much in flux, it is essential that airports continue to weigh in with your elected officials to highlight the situation at your airport and your ongoing needs. Your specifics are likely to be the most impactful information for your individual House and Senate members, so we have included draft talking points below that lead with that along with the broader industry "asks."
Things will be moving quickly over the next few, critical weeks so we urge you to contact your House members and Senators as soon as possible.
Draft Talking Points – Additional Relief
- On behalf of _______, I urge you to ensure that relief to airports and our industry partners is included in any coronavirus relief package assembled in the days ahead.
- The aviation industry is facing unprecedented challenges and is in desperate need of additional federal support. Our nation's economic recovery depends on a strong aviation system.
- Like the airlines, airports are burning through cash as passenger traffic continues to be 60-70% below 2019 levels. Airports have to remain open and operational, make debt payments, and invest in increased public health improvements - all while revenues plummet.
- Reduced revenues and increased costs are forcing many airports to slash budgets, put capital projects on hold, deplete their reserves, and contemplate layoffs or furloughs. The challenges are growing more intense by the day.
- At our airport (please provide specifics)….
- Providing airports with more funding now will ensure they can continue to respond to new operational demands, pay for debt service on their bonds, help keep their critical safety and security projects on track, and keep airport staff employed.
- Specifically, the industry is seeking:
Funding: Airports are seeking $17 billion in additional federal funding for commercial service airports along with further support for general aviation airports and our industry partners, including concessionaires, to respond to and recover from the pandemic.
Flexibility: Airports should have maximum flexibility to use any additional federal COVID relief funding "for any purpose for which airport revenues may be lawfully used."
Federal Share: Consistent with the CARES Act, any pandemic relief funding provided for airports should be 100 percent federal share, and the federal share for all AIP grants issued in FY21 should be 100 percent. - Thank you for your consideration and support.
