The U.S. Dept. of Transportation plans to release its proposal for revamping how federal aviation programs are financed soon after President Bush unveils his fiscal year 2008 budget proposal, says DOT Secretary Mary E. Peters. Bush will send his budget plan to Congress on Feb. 5, according to the Office of Management and Budget.
Federal Aviation Administration activities are up for reauthorization this year on Capitol Hill, including the Airport Improvement Program, which provides more than $3 billion a year in federal grants for runways, taxiways and other infrastructure. For many months, Bush administration officials have made no secret of their desire to change the system of user fees that flow into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and provide a better match between what users pay and the costs they impose on the aviation system.