Yesterday the House passed H.R. 3800 extending FAA’s funding until 2/17/2012. Lawmakers will now begin work on the broader issues of the Re-Authorization Bill, H.R. 658. The remaining issues included overall spending authority (House, $14.8 billion – Senate, $17.4 billion) and such things as how shipments of lithium batteries can be carried on cargo aircraft.
Representative John Mica, chairman of the House transportation committee, said this will be the last extension before Congress approves a long-term bill. In a speech in the House he said, “We can get this done… This should be a bipartisan and must be a bicameral jobs bill.”