Legislation to renew airport construction grants and other Federal Aviation Administration programs is coming into sharper focus. Senate commerce committee leaders unveiled a draft bill May 3 that would provide $15.8 billion for airport grants over four years. It also makes some changes in aviation program financing but rejects major shifts the Bush administration proposed in February, such as phasing out the passenger ticket tax. FAA programs are due to expire Sept. 30.
The proposal has clout behind it. Its sponsor is aviation subcommittee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). Other backers are aviation panel ranking Republican Trent Lott (Miss.), commerce committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and commerce’s top Republican, Alaska’s Ted Stevens. Amendments are likely in committee and on the floor, says Brian Deery, senior director of the Associated General Contractors’ highway and transportation division. But he adds, “I think that this is what the Senate bill’s going to largely look like.”