On Monday, Sept. 28, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3614, also known as the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2015, in a voice vote that would extend funding for the Federal Aviation Administration by six months until March 31, 2016. The Senate gave its blessing by unanimous consent on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and it now moves to President Obama's desk for signature. Without the legislation, FAA funding was set to expire Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The House bill was introduced last Friday by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Penn.), who is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, along with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
Shuster was quoted by The Hill as saying, “I would encourage all members to support this six-month extension … so we can truly do something that’s bold, do something that’s transformational, and do something that’ll be very, very positive for aviation.”