House Committee Advances FAA Bill; Rejects Transient Space Amendment
July 18, 2023
The House Rules Committee late last night approved a rule governing debate on the FAA reauthorization bill that calls for the House of Representatives to consider 104 amendments, including a proposal to reduce AIP funding from the proposed $4 billion to $3.8 billion annually. However, the committee did not make in order an amendment to require all public use airports to provide transient aircraft parking for GA pilots who don't want to use FBO services or other troubling amendments aimed at regulating airport fees on ground transportation providers. The rule does not allow a vote on an amendment to raise the PFC cap to $8.50.
Transient Ramp Space
AAAE, ACI-NA, airports around country, and other aviation stakeholders urged lawmakers to reject an AOPA-backed amendment filed by Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA) that would have required airports to provide transient ramp space to pilots opting not to use FBO services. The coalition pushed back on the amendment and argued that it would have allowed GA pilots to pay little to no cost for using transient ramp space at airports and shifted costs to other airport users. Thank you to all of you who weighed in with your congressional delegations to push back on this troubling amendment.
Despite the good news in the House for now, the battle is far from over. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) plans to offer an identical amendment when the Senate Commerce Committee considers its version of the FAA bill. We urge you to continue to weigh in with your Senators - and especially those who serve on the Commerce Committee - and ask them to reject the Budd amendment.
Airport Improvement Program
The underlying House bill includes a welcome proposal to increase AIP funding from $3.35 billion to $4 billion annually. The Rules Committee made in in order an amendment filed by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) to reduce $4 billion to $3.8 billion annually.
Since lawmakers will consider the Perry amendment on the House floor, we urge you contact your Representatives and ask them to oppose the amendment to cut AIP funding from the proposed $4 billion annual amount in the underlying bill.
What's Next
The House is expected to begin considering the FAA reauthorization bill tomorrow and proceed to final passage on Thursday. Despite reports of a breakthrough in the Senate over a dispute regarding the 1,500-hour rule, it is unclear if the Senate Commerce Committee will mark up its version of the bill this week. We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, the following includes key amendments that the House Rules Committee made in order, and other amendments we're following that the Committee did not make in order.
Key Amendments - In Order
Perry/AIP Funding (333): Rep. Scott Perry has an amendment that would reduce AIP funding from the proposed $4 billion to $3.8 billion annually. We strongly oppose the amendment.
McClintock/EAS (328): Reps. Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Perry have an amendment that would eliminate the Essential Air Service Program.
Owens/Slots (356): Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) filed a revised amendment that would add "7 new roundtrip in-and-beyond perimeter slots to DCA split between the 7 airlines servicing the airport."
Graves-Larsen/Manager's Amendment-NOFO (354): Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) have a manager's amendment that includes some policy and technical changes. On the policy front, the amendment includes a provision that states AIP funds 'shall not be subject to any notice of funding opportunity requirement.'
Key Amendments - Not in Order
Obernolte-Cartwright/Transient Parking (74): As noted above, the Obernolte/Cartwright amendment that would require all public use airports to provide transient aircraft parking for GA pilots who don't want to use FBO services.
Massie/PFC Cap (313): The amendment from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) would have raised the PFC cap from $4.50 to $8.50 and reduce AIP funding from the proposed $4 billion to $3.8 billion annually. It would also eliminate AIP funding to any airport with a PFC cap that exceeds $6.
Boyle/Ground Transportation (306): Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) filed an amendment that would have required commercial ground transportation provider at airports to 'be subject to the same rates, fees, rentals, and other charges as are uniformly applicable to all other such users.
Landsman/Ground Transportation (232): Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) also filed an amendment that would have required ground transportation providers at airports to 'be subject to the same rates, fees, etc.' The proposal would have placed the burden of proof on airports to show that fees are legitimate and 'proportionate to the impact the physical use has on airport facilities.' We urged lawmakers to reject both ground transportation amendments.
Garcia/Good Jobs for Good Airports Act (58): Rep. Jesus Garcia (D-IL) filed an amendment that would have added the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act to the bill. The labor-backed bill initially called for airports to police airlines and concessionaries and ensure that they pay their service workers certain wages and benefits. It also called for new grant assurances on AIP, PFC, and BIL money. After strong objections from AAAE and ACI-NA, SEIU and their allies on the Hill agreed to take airports out of the middle and focus directly on airlines and concessionaries instead.
Panetta/Ground-Based Noise (50): Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) filed an amendment that called for 'standards and remedies related to ground-based noise (GBN) due to the fact that as an airplane leaves from an airport, its takeoff generates significant amounts of ground-based low-frequency noise and vibration impacting residents in the vicinity.' The proposal also includes onerous language that suggests individuals could sue airports over ground-based noise if it exceeds certain standards.
Meng/65 DNL (143): Rep. Grace Meng (R-NY) has an amendment that would have directed the FAA to 'revise its regulations to decrease the threshold for the day-night average sound level that constitutes significant noise from 65 decibels to 60 decibels and adjust relative ranges of day-night average sound level accordingly. The amendment also directs the FAA to issue a report on their plan to further lower the metric to 55 DNL.'
Bergman/Pilot Age (7): The T&I Committee-passed bill includes a provision that would raise the mandatory retirement age for commercial airline pilots from 65 to 67. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) filed an amendment that would have eliminated that provision.
Garamendi/TIFIA (100): Rep. Garamendi filed an amendment that would have clarified 'that all airport projects are eligible to apply for TIFIA financing in years, not just those project elements eligible for funding from the Passenger Facility Charge, in years when there remain un-lent appropriated funds."
