Senate leaders race to pass FAA bill, while House passes short-term extension

Top Senate leaders are plotting a path forward on legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, even as the House passed a one-week extension to avoid the air travel funding legislation from expiring at midnight Friday.

While leaders have said progress has been made toward extending the FAA’s authority for the next five years, senators are struggling to strike a time agreement to try to avoid a lapse of the program ahead of Friday’s deadline. Dozens of amendments have piled on, threatening to derail the legislation and raising concerns about the potential of a compromise ahead of the Friday deadline.