It's been a challenge to get Congress to act on FAA funding this year, with elections looming and a change in administration certain, and this week the issue was postponed yet again -- this time until March 2009. "That means we can declare victory in the battle against user fees, at least in 2008," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "But it also means we start the battle anew in 2009," said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. "A new Congress means new FAA funding bills will have to be introduced. And the user fee proponents haven't gone away. With rising deficits, the federal government has even more pressures on its spending and the need for new revenue sources." On Tuesday, both the House and Senate passed bills that will extend the deadline and authorize the FAA to continue its current spending level, according to AOPA.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/faa-funding-extended-to-march-2009