Airport Alert: House Clears $3 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package

May 15, 2020

The House tonight cleared the "Heroes Act," a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package that would provide funds to state and local governments and a long list of other Democratic priorities. The vote was 208 to 199. The Republican-controlled Senate has no plans to take up the bill, and the White House issued a veto threat. 

"The Congress must honor its responsibility to the American people to lessen the blow of the coronavirus by making the same serious investment of The Heroes Act to our state, local, tribal and territorial governments," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said on the House floor. "The plan that we are voting on today will make a tremendous difference not only in the budgets in the states, but in the lives of the American people."
 
The House-passed bill includes a handful of aviation-related provision. For instance, it would appropriate general fund revenue to offset declining revenues in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.  It would also require DOT to coordinate with other Federal agencies to "develop a national aviation preparedness plan for communicable disease outbreaks...." As expected, however, the measure does not contain another round of direct funding for airports.  
 
The House-passed bill appears to be dead on arrival in the Senate where Republicans are content to see how the CARES Act plays out before taking up another relief package.  "We all believe that another bill probably is going to be necessary," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said earlier this week.  "But I'm not prepared today to put a precise date on when that will be."
 
As lawmakers continue to debate next steps and prepare for another relief package, AAAE and airports around the country are urging Congress to continue helping commercial service and general aviation airports navigate the coronavirus crisis.  AAAE President and CEO Todd Hauptli described airport challenges and needs when he testified before the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this month.
 
Since then, we have drafted talking points and a draft letter for airports to send to their lawmakers. Both may be viewed here.