A bad case of the FAA reauthorization legislation blues
Yesterday, the US Senate ended debate on FAA reauthorization legislation without voting on the bill. The proposed legislation would fund and modernize the FAA and would include establishing a budget for building a satellite-based air-traffic control system.
This likely ends any chance the agency will receive a new authorization before a new President takes office in January. Last week senators took up the long-stalled legislation, but soon began arguing over amendments and rules of debate once it officially was introduced.
The ATW Daily News reports that yesterday a procedural vote to cut off debate and vote on the bill received a 49-42 majority but was 11 votes shy of the 60 required to curtail debate. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) complained that the US ATC is “a Polaroid-camera technology system” and lamented the Senate’s inability to pass legislation.
The agency, which saw its authorization expire on Sept. 30, 2007, currently is being funded via temporary extensions.
Thank goodness we have a system that works for us [insert sarcasm here].
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