On 14 February, President Obama signed a $63.6 billion funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration, whereby the legislation would last through 2015.
After a year of debate — and a two-week partial shutdown of the FAA — the House and Senate approved a multi-year funding bill for the beleaguered agency for the first time since its last authorization expired in 2007, and the White House said on 14 February that Obama signed the measure.
The legislation, which would last through 2015, runs five months shorter than the string of 23 short-term extensions of the 2007 FAA funding levels. Transportation advocates argued that, because of the piecemeal funding, it was hard for the agency to develop long-term plans, such as its proposed NextGen satellite-based navigation system.
The FAA has long planned to switch the air traffic control system from radar technology that has been used since World War II, but the agency said it needs consistent funding to develop the system, which would cost about $22 billion through 2025.
Some of the main highlights of the bill are:
- Passenger Facility Charges: The cap on PFCs will not be increased and will remain at $4.5.
- NextGen: The bill includes funding and authorization to facilitate NextGen implementation. Additionally, the bill requires the FAA to accelerate implantation of NextGen to 2015 at 35 airports.
- Foreign Repair Stations: The bill does not require twice-annual inspections of foreign repair stations and respects international agreements and laws.
- Passenger Rights: The bill does not codify a 3- or 4-hour timeline before which passengers must be permitted to deplane.
- EU ETS: The bill states the “Sense of Congress” that the EU ETS violates the Chicago Convention, that the EU should instead work through ICAO to develop a global framework, and that the US Federal Government should ensure the scheme is not applied to US carriers.
- Carriage of Lithium Batteries: The bill forbids the Secretary of Transportation from issuing a regulation on the transport of lithium batteries that is more stringent than the ICAO Technical Instructions.
- Alliance Antitrust Immunity & Foreign Ownership and Control: As expected, the bill does not include language further restricting alliance antitrust immunity or foreign ownership and control.
Source: IATA,
www.thehill.com