Although there has been action in the House on a four-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, it is likely that Congress instead will approve another in a series of extensions when the current stopgap FAA measure lapses on March 31.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) says it appears a six-month extension is needed to give the Senate time to work on the bill, says transportation panel spokesman Jim Berard. Such a bill would keep FAA running and its Airport Improvement Program construction grants flowing through Sept. 30, when fiscal 2009 ends.