The Senate this week began debating a bill to fund the Federal Aviation Administration, leaving out some of the contentious provisions, including one regulating flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, that have bogged down the legislation in the past and forced Congress to pass 17 short-term extensions since 2007. But debate over the $35 billion, two-year measure, which includes a “Passenger Bill of Rights” provision and funding to enhance safety and reduce delays at airports, could drag out for days or even weeks.
Under a deal struck between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., lawmakers can offer an unlimited number of amendments, rather than just a few that the two sides agree upon.
As a result, the Senate spent the better part of two days debating health care reform after Republicans intent on repealing President Obama’s signature achievement attached an amendment to the FAA bill that would kill Obama’s year-old reforms.
The Senate Thursday will return to the FAA bill, but more contentious amendments await, including a fight over adding more flights to Reagan National Airport.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, wants to amend the bill to add five daily, long-distance flights in and out of National and allow 16 existing short-haul flights from the airport to become long-distance routes.
Democratic leaders left this provision out of the body of the bill, hoping to dodge a protracted fight.
Under a “perimeter rule” governing the airport, flights of more than 1,250 miles away are prohibited, except for two dozen flights daily. Hutchison’s amendment would substantially increase the number of long-haul flights, a move Virginia and Maryland lawmakers have vigorously opposed because of noise complaints from residents living near the airport.
The fight over adding more flights to Reagan has been one of several provision holding up the bill for the past three years, with Western lawmakers supporting additional routes, in part, to make it easier for them to fly home.
“I cannot support a final bill that does not address this issue,” said Hutchison, whose Lone Star State is home to several airline companies that would benefit from her amendment.
Other provisions in the bill enjoy bipartisan support, including a requirement that airports replace their outdated radar-based, air-traffic control systems with new satellite technology to track planes. The new equipment, say lawmakers, will improve safety and decrease delays.
The bill would require airlines to let passengers get off the plane after three hours of waiting and to provide food, water, medical help and bathrooms to passengers stuck on the tarmac.
The FAA bill is the Senate’s first substantive bill of the session and Democratic leaders are touting its job creating potential.
The measure would authorize $8.1 billion for infrastructure improvements at airports, which Democrats say will “sustain or create” up to 280,000 jobs.
Democrats excluded a clause that would have made it easier for Federal Express workers to unionize, much to the dismay of union officials who have lobbied hard for the provision.
It’s main proponent, former House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., was defeated in November by a Republican.
