[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 24, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2268-H2273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2010

  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4915) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend 
the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust 
Fund, to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend authorizations 
for the airport improvement program, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4915

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Aviation 
     Administration Extension Act of 2010''.

[[Page H2269]]

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF TAXES FUNDING AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST 
                   FUND.

       (a) Fuel Taxes.--Subparagraph (B) of section 4081(d)(2) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking 
     ``March 31, 2010'' and inserting ``July 3, 2010''.
       (b) Ticket Taxes.--
       (1) Persons.--Clause (ii) of section 4261(j)(1)(A) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``March 
     31, 2010'' and inserting ``July 3, 2010''.
       (2) Property.--Clause (ii) of section 4271(d)(1)(A) of such 
     Code is amended by striking ``March 31, 2010'' and inserting 
     ``July 3, 2010''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on April 1, 2010.

     SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND 
                   EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY.

       (a) In General.--Paragraph (1) of section 9502(d) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
       (1) by striking ``April 1, 2010'' and inserting ``July 4, 
     2010''; and
       (2) by inserting ``or the Federal Aviation Administration 
     Extension Act of 2010'' before the semicolon at the end of 
     subparagraph (A).
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (2) of section 9502(e) 
     of such Code is amended by striking ``April 1, 2010'' and 
     inserting ``July 4, 2010''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on April 1, 2010.

     SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--Section 48103(7) of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(7) $3,024,657,534 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2009, and ending on July 3, 2010.''.
       (2) Obligation of amounts.--Sums made available pursuant to 
     the amendment made by paragraph (1) may be obligated at any 
     time through September 30, 2010, and shall remain available 
     until expended.
       (3) Program implementation.--For purposes of calculating 
     funding apportionments and meeting other requirements under 
     sections 47114, 47115, 47116, and 47117 of title 49, United 
     States Code, for the period beginning on October 1, 2009, and 
     ending on July 3, 2010, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration shall--
       (A) first calculate funding apportionments on an annualized 
     basis as if the total amount available under section 48103 of 
     such title for fiscal year 2010 were $4,000,000,000; and
       (B) then reduce by 11 percent--
       (i) all funding apportionments calculated under 
     subparagraph (A); and
       (ii) amounts available pursuant to sections 47117(b) and 
     47117(f)(2) of such title.
       (b) Project Grant Authority.--Section 47104(c) of such 
     title is amended by striking ``March 31, 2010,'' and 
     inserting ``July 3, 2010,''.

     SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES.

       (a) Section 40117(l)(7) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``April 1, 2010.'' and inserting ``July 
     4, 2010.''.
       (b) Section 44302(f)(1) of such title is amended--
       (1) by striking ``March 31, 2010,'' and inserting ``July 3, 
     2010,''; and
       (2) by striking ``June 30, 2010,'' and inserting 
     ``September 30, 2010,''.
       (c) Section 44303(b) of such title is amended by striking 
     ``June 30, 2010,'' and inserting ``September 30, 2010,''.
       (d) Section 47107(s)(3) of such title is amended by 
     striking ``April 1, 2010.'' and inserting ``July 4, 2010.''.
       (e) Section 47115(j) of such title is amended by striking 
     ``April 1, 2010,'' and inserting ``July 4, 2010,''.
       (f) Section 47141(f) of such title is amended by striking 
     ``March 31, 2010.'' and inserting ``July 3, 2010.''.
       (g) Section 49108 of such title is amended by striking 
     ``March 31, 2010,'' and inserting ``July 3, 2010,''.
       (h) Section 161 of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation 
     Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 47109 note) is amended by 
     striking ``April 1, 2010,'' and inserting ``July 4, 2010,''.
       (i) Section 186(d) of such Act (117 Stat. 2518) is amended 
     by striking ``April 1, 2010,'' and inserting ``July 4, 
     2010,''.
       (j) The amendments made by this section shall take effect 
     on April 1, 2010.

     SEC. 6. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OPERATIONS.

       Section 106(k)(1)(F) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(F) $7,070,158,159 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2009, and ending on July 3, 2010.''.

     SEC. 7. AIR NAVIGATION FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.

       Section 48101(a)(6) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(6) $2,220,252,132 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2009, and ending on July 3, 2010.''.

     SEC. 8. RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 48102(a)(14) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(14) $144,049,315 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2009, and ending on July 3, 2010.''.

     SEC. 9. EXTENSION AND FLEXIBILITY FOR CERTAIN ALLOCATED 
                   SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Surface Transportation Extension Modification Act of 
     2010''.
       (b) Modification of Allocation Rules.--Section 411(d) of 
     the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
       (i) by striking ``1301, 1302,''; and
       (ii) by striking ``1198, 1204,''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in the matter preceding clause (i) by striking 
     ``apportioned under sections 104(b) and 144 of title 23, 
     United States Code,'' and inserting ``specified in section 
     105(a)(2) of title 23, United States Code (except the high 
     priority projects program),''; and
       (ii) in clause (ii) by striking ``apportioned under such 
     sections of such Code'' and inserting ``specified in such 
     section 105(a)(2) (except the high priority projects 
     program)'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
       (i) by striking ``1301, 1302,''; and
       (ii) by striking ``1198, 1204,''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in the matter preceding clause (i) by striking 
     ``apportioned under sections 104(b) and 144 of title 23, 
     United States Code,'' and inserting ``specified in section 
     105(a)(2) of title 23, United States Code (except the high 
     priority projects program),''; and
       (ii) in clause (ii) by striking ``apportioned under such 
     sections of such Code'' and inserting ``specified in such 
     section 105(a)(2) (except the high priority projects 
     program)''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(5) Projects of national and regional significance and 
     national corridor infrastructure improvement programs.--
       ``(A) Redistribution among states.--Notwithstanding 
     sections 1301(m) and 1302(e) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1202 
     and 1205), the Secretary shall apportion funds authorized to 
     be appropriated under subsection (b) for the projects of 
     national and regional significance program and the national 
     corridor infrastructure improvement program among all States 
     such that each State's share of the funds so apportioned is 
     equal to the State's share for fiscal year 2009 of funds 
     apportioned or allocated for the programs specified in 
     section 105(a)(2) of title 23, United States Code.
       ``(B) Distribution among programs.--Funds apportioned to a 
     State pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be--
       ``(i) made available to the State for the programs 
     specified in section 105(a)(2) of title 23, United States 
     Code (except the high priority projects program), and in the 
     same proportion for each such program that--

       ``(I) the amount apportioned to the State for that program 
     for fiscal year 2009; bears to
       ``(II) the amount apportioned to the State for fiscal year 
     2009 for all such programs; and

       ``(ii) administered in the same manner and with the same 
     period of availability as funding is administered under 
     programs identified in clause (i).''.
       (c) Expenditure Authority From Highway Trust Fund.--
     Paragraph (1) of section 9503(c) of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986, as amended by the Surface Transportation Extension 
     Act of 2010, is amended by striking ``in effect on the date 
     of the enactment of such Act)'' and inserting ``in effect on 
     the later of the date of the enactment of such Act or the 
     date of the enactment of the Surface Transportation Extension 
     Modification Act of 2010)''.
       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect upon the enactment of the Surface 
     Transportation Extension Act of 2010 and shall be treated as 
     being included in that Act at the time of the enactment of 
     that Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Costello) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COSTELLO. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 
legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4915.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COSTELLO. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4915, the Federal Aviation 
Administration Extension Act of 2010. Last week, the House passed H.R. 
4853, also entitled the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act 
of 2010, to extend aviation program taxes and the Airport and Airways 
Trust Fund expenditure authority through July 3rd, 2010, and to modify 
the formula by which highway funds would otherwise be distributed under 
the HIRE Act.
  Earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration requested a 
technical correction to H.R. 4853 as passed by the House. The FAA needs 
this technical correction to ensure sufficient airport improvement 
program funds are allocated to AIP formula grants rather than AIP 
discretionary grants.

[[Page H2270]]

  Madam Speaker, the House has previously passed two FAA 
reauthorization bills in 2007 and again in 2009. We have been waiting 
on the other body to act. Finally on Monday, the Senate passed its FAA 
bill, H.R. 1586, using an unrelated House-passed tax bill.

                              {time}  1045

  Madam Speaker, tomorrow the House intends to take up the Senate bill, 
H.R. 1586 and amend it. We will insert the text of the House FAA 
reauthorization bill, H.R. 915, and the bipartisan House aviation 
safety bill, H.R. 3371, the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Act of 
2009, which is one of the strongest aviation safety bills in decades.
  The purpose of the House taking action to amend H.R. 1586 is to 
ensure that important provisions we included in H.R. 915 and H.R. 3371 
to improve aviation safety, to provide consistency and collective 
bargaining rights throughout the express carrier industry, to increase 
the Passenger Facility Charge to assist airports in meeting their 
capital needs, to create jobs and to modernize our air traffic control 
system, are maintained throughout the conference with the Senate.
  The Aviation Subcommittee held over 20 hearings on the 
reauthorization bill and the safety issues. In addition, we had five 
roundtables to discuss aviation safety in the reauthorization bill with 
everyone from the FAA to everyone in the aviation community.
  H.R. 915 is a comprehensive bill. It will provide approximately $53.5 
billion to modernize our air traffic control system, fund airport 
development, research programs, small community service, and Federal 
aviation operating expenses.
  Our bill reflects a continued effort toward ensuring our aviation 
system remains the safest in the world. In the FAA forecast, the 
airlines are expected to carry more than 1 billion passengers in the 
year 2021, up from almost 760 million in 2008. To deal with this 
growth, strengthen our economy, and create jobs, H.R. 915 provides 
historic funding levels for FAA's capital programs. This includes $12.3 
billion for the Airport Improvement Program, nearly $10.1 billion for 
the FAA's Facilities & Equipment fund, and $685.4 million for Research, 
Engineering, and Development. The bill also provides $30.3 billion for 
FAA operations over the next 3 years.
  These funding levels will accelerate the implementation of NextGen, 
enable the FAA to replace and repair existing facilities and equipment, 
improve airport development, and provide for the implementation of 
high-priority, safety-related systems.
  Let me mention the importance of NextGen. Both the full committee and 
the Aviation Subcommittee has spent a great deal of time trying to move 
the Next Generation Air Transportation System forward. NextGen is 
critical to the future of aviation, not only for safety reasons, but 
also to reduce congestion delays and save time as well as fuel. We have 
operated now under a ground-based radar system for far too many years. 
We need to move forward with the NextGen system so that we can 
implement a satellite-based system in order to make the improvements 
that are necessary.
  In H.R. 915, we also changed the organizational structure of the 
FAA's Joint Planning and Development Office, the body charged with 
planning NextGen. To increase the authority and visibility of the JPDO, 
H.R. 915 elevates the Director of the JPDO to the status of Associate 
Administrator for NextGen within the FAA to be appointed by and 
reporting directly to the FAA Administrator. To increase accountability 
and coordination of NextGen planning and implementation, the bill 
requires the JPDO to develop a work plan that details, on a year-to-
year basis, specific NextGen-related deliverables and milestones 
required by the FAA and its partner agencies.
  Like the 2007 bill, we increased the Passenger Facility Charge cap 
from $4.50 to $7 to those airports who choose to implement the 
increase, to help airports choose and those who participate in the 
program to meet their capital needs. According to the FAA, every 
airport currently collecting $4 to $4.50 under the PFC, if they raise 
it to $7, it will generate $1.3 billion in additional revenue every 
year for airport development, which strengthens our economy and creates 
additional jobs at a time that both are critically needed.
  The legislation provides significant increases in AIP funding for 
smaller airports that rely on AIP for capital financing. The ability to 
raise the PFC and the increase in the AIP funding provides financing 
for airport capital development that will help reduce delays.
  The bill also dramatically increases funding for and improves the 
Essential Air Service program and reauthorizes a small community Air 
Service Development Program through 2012.
  Here at home and across the globe, more is being done to reduce 
energy consumption and emissions. The FAA and the aviation community 
continues to be a leader in greening its operations. We further those 
efforts by establishing the CLEEN Engine and Airframe Technology 
Partnership and the Green Towers program, which was modeled after what 
is currently being done at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.
  The United States has the safest air transportation system in the 
world; however, we must not become complacent about our past success. 
To keep proper oversight over the FAA and safety, the FAA, under the 
H.R. 915 legislation, directs the FAA to increase the number of 
aviation safety inspectors, initiate study on fatigue, and requires the 
FAA to inspect part 145 certified foreign repair stations at least 
twice a year.
  The legislation does not increase or place new user fees on users of 
airspace.
  We believe that the Airport and Airway Trust Fund revenues, coupled 
with the additional revenue from the recommended general aviation fuel 
tax increase and a reasonable general fund contribution will be 
sufficient to provide for the historic capital funding levels required 
to modernize the air traffic control system.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation before us today is critically 
important to the FAA.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, in May of last year, the House passed H.R. 
915, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009. Earlier this week, the Senate 
passed its own FAA reauthorization bill, and, therefore, the two 
Chambers will soon begin negotiations to reconcile the bills. However, 
that process will take some time. Given that the current FAA extension 
expires at the end of this month, we need to again extend the FAA's 
taxes and authorities to allow time to get a final conferenced FAA 
bill.
  While the House considered and passed an FAA extension bill just last 
week, we are again considering an FAA extension in order to address a 
minor technical matter in the earlier bill that would have impacted the 
FAA's ability to fund airport projects during the next 3 months. 
Therefore, this bill, H.R. 4915, makes the technical correction and 
also extends the taxes, programs, and funding of the FAA to July 3 of 
this year.
  This bill will ensure that our National Airspace System continues to 
operate and that the FAA continues funding important airport projects 
while the Congress reconciles the two reauthorization bills.
  Like the bill considered last week, the bill before us also includes 
a provision that will change the way funding is distributed for the 
Projects of National and Regional Significance program and the National 
Corridor Infrastructure Program in the surface transportation extension 
that was signed into law last week. Currently, 56 percent of the funds 
for those two programs are directed to just four States, and 22 States 
will receive no funding at all. This fix ensures that the funding for 
those two programs is distributed to all States through the existing 
Federal-Aid Highway formula.
  With that, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4915.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to a valued member of 
the subcommittee, Congressman Capuano.
  Mr. CAPUANO. I thank the gentleman for calling me valued. It's nice 
to be valued. He didn't say how much, but we will leave it alone--high 
value.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for this 
legislation

[[Page H2271]]

and look forward to it. This legislation is long overdue. It's 
something that we have been working on now for, well, as long as I can 
recall. It has lots of important issues in there in the FAA and it also 
has an additional fix. As I see it, it's not even about the amount of 
money for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. From my perspective, it is 
about an equitable issue. That's really all it is. It's a matter of 
equity.
  We were put in a position to pass a bill that had other good job 
provisions in it that did not have equitable provisions in it, but we 
did it because this economy needs a boost. And like every bill we ever 
vote on anything, there is some good and some bad. So that particular 
bill, in my opinion, had some bad things in it.
  This bill has good things for the FAA, has good things for the 
country, has good things for all of us who fly, but it also had some 
provisions in there that will level the playing field for the people of 
this country, and that's why I wanted to come over this morning.
  Again, there are times when I usually get called on to ask when there 
is a fight going on. In this particular instance, there is no fight 
here. I am not sure exactly who the fight is with, and I am a little 
uncomfortable speaking when we are all on the same side, but it's nice 
for a change. I won't get used to it too often, but I do enjoy it on 
occasion when it happens, so I wanted to come over and express my 
support.
  Mr. PETRI. I want our colleague from Massachusetts to know that he is 
valued on both sides of the aisle.
  With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the esteemed 
ranking member of our committee, Mr. Mica, from Florida.
  Mr. MICA. Thank you for yielding.
  Madam Speaker and my colleagues, if everyone isn't totally confused 
by what's going on with the FAA legislation, it will be a miracle, but 
let me just try to take, for a moment, Madam Speaker and my colleagues, 
a little time to explain to Members and staff and you, Madam Speaker, 
where we are and how we got here.
  Now, what we are considering now is not a new FAA bill but the 
extension of the old FAA bill. In fact, the FAA bill, when I was 
chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee in 2003, in May of that year, we 
introduced a bill that became law 6 months later and was signed by the 
President the end of 2003. That bill has been in effect, that 
authorization which authorizes all the policy, all the projects for 
FAA, has been in effect, and it expired in September of 2007. Since 
September of 2007, we have not had a new FAA bill. What we have done is 
a series of extensions of the 2003-passed bill.
  Now, last week, we were here doing the 12th extension of the FAA 
bill, and we passed that measure and we sent it over to the other body. 
The other body took that legislation and they passed it, but a little 
mistake was made, I understand, in the formula for AIP funding, so 
that's why we are back here the 13th time passing an extension of a 
bill that expired in 2007.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. MICA. Yes, I would be glad to yield.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. That makes the gentleman from Florida, Madam Speaker, 
the author of the longest surviving authorization of FAA programs.
  Mr. MICA. Yes. I wish I didn't have that honor. But as the gentleman 
who just spoke is now our chairman, was the chairman of the Aviation 
Subcommittee when I came to Congress, and I met him first in 1993, he 
knows the importance of getting this authorization done.
  Now, meanwhile, back at the ranch, Madam Speaker and Members of 
Congress, the FAA bill that the House passed last May has been over in 
the other body being considered. Of course, other things have gotten in 
the way and, finally, I believe, last night, they passed the FAA bill. 
But the other body didn't use our legislation that we had passed in 
May. They took a Ways and Means bill and they tacked on the provisions 
that they want, and it's coming back to the House of Representatives, 
and tentatively scheduled before the Rules Committee is that full bill. 
What we are debating now is just an extension to get us to July 3, 
because they are sending back--they are playing a little bit of games 
with the entire bill.

                              {time}  1100

  They took our bill out. They put other provisions in on a Ways and 
Means bill, which really raises questions as to our jurisdiction 
because we're the Transportation Committee, although I know the 
chairman is planning to tack our bill, our full bill back on, 
hopefully, in the Rules Committee and then bring that back to the 
floor.
  So this little ping-pong game of the FAA reauthorization is not over 
by any means. I'm hoping and praying that this authorization extension 
that gets us to July 3 is accepted without change over in the other 
body because, as we know, there was a highway bill extension to 
December 31 put on a jobs bill last week.
  But when we passed that in the House and the President signed it into 
law, it's my understanding it contains a provision that the other body 
put in; and four people, four individual States, rather, benefit by the 
provisions of that taking the highway trust fund money for special 
projects of national significance, and four States get 58 percent of 
the money. Now, we didn't want that in the bill when it passed.
  Mr. Oberstar obtained agreement from Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi that we 
would change that, and we actually had a provision to change that in 
this bill, this extension.
  Now I'm getting confused. But, in fact, that provision is in this 
bill that would give every State equitable distribution of those 
highway funds. So that's why we support it on the Republican side.
  Mr. Oberstar's been working to get this done. We don't want four 
States to benefit. We don't want all the money to be put in the 
discretionary fund and then distributed at the will of a few 
bureaucrats. We want everyone to be treated equitably.
  So there's at stake both the extension of the FAA authorization until 
July 3. There is the reformulation of the highway money that goes 
through December 31 in this measure. So that's why we must pass this.
  But this is not, I repeat, this is not the FAA bill that we do need 
to pass that Mr. Costello, Mr. Petri spoke about.
  Now, Madam Speaker, if that hasn't confused everyone, every single 
Member outside the committee and members of the public and everyone 
else who may be interested in this, I don't know what will confuse 
them. But that, folks, is basically where we are, and that's why we 
need to pass this extension. Hopefully, we won't see this for the 14th 
time, hoping and praying; but it may be possible because they like to 
play games as this process moves forward to the benefit of some, not 
everyone. We don't want that to happen.
  So I urge your passage of this extension. Don't confuse it with the 
FAA bill which still will be around the corner.
  And I thank our ranking member, I thank Mr. Costello for their 
continued work, and my counterpart, the chairman, Mr. Oberstar, for 
their work in bringing this forward.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, at this time I would yield to my friend 
from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) 3 minutes.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
FAA Extension Act 2010, H.R. 4915, which would provide a short-term 
extension of existing FAA authorization legislation.
  I want to thank the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Costello, for his 
outstanding leadership constantly and on this legislation.
  This legislation, and just picking up where Mr. Mica left off, also 
includes provisions that would ensure that an equitable distribution is 
made during the extension of the SAFETEA-LU surface transportation 
authorization of money designated for the Projects of National and 
Regional Significance and the National Corridor Infrastructure 
Improvement programs.
  These programs established in the 2005 SAFETEA-LU legislation were 
intended to provide discretionary funds to major projects. However, the 
SAFETEA-LU conference committee designated the projects to receive 
funding under the programs.
  As we have worked to develop a longer-term extension for SAFETEA-LU, 
the issue of how to apportion the

[[Page H2272]]

approximately $932 million provided for these programs during the 
extension period has been of critical concern to our committee.
  Under provisions developed by the Senate and included in the HIRE 
Act, this funding would continue to be provided to those few States in 
which projects were designated by SAFETEA-LU. Under this allocation, 
four States, four States, would receive 58 percent of the available 
funding; 22 States would receive no funding, and the remaining States 
would receive varying levels of funding. Such a distribution is not 
equitable, particularly given that the designated projects were time-
limited.
  Chairman Oberstar has worked with the Senate majority leader and 
Speaker Pelosi to devise a more equitable funding distribution, and the 
legislation before us today includes the agreement they have resolved. 
Under this agreement, the funding would be distributed to all States 
pursuant to existing formulas for major highway programs. And at a time 
when State transportation budgets are experiencing significant cuts, an 
equitable distribution of available Federal funding is appropriate to 
ensure that each State can continue to address its most pressing 
mobility needs.
  I applaud Chairman Oberstar, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid for their 
work on this measure, and I urge adoption.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would yield 2 minutes to 
a member of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Carnahan).
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, as a member of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee and the Aviation Subcommittee, and 
representing the St. Louis region where aviation has been vital in our 
history and our economy, I rise today in strong support of passage of 
H.R. 4915, the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010.
  Although I believe a long-term reauthorization of the FAA is long 
overdue, I'm happy to see the Senate finally pass an FAA 
reauthorization bill earlier, so we are one step closer to passage of a 
much-needed long-term reauthorization.
  I'm also happy to see this legislation include the provision to amend 
the HIRE Act so that all States, including my home State of Missouri, 
can receive funding under the Projects of National and Regional 
Significance and the National Corridors Program, rather than just 29 
States. Both of these programs are designed to be competitive and 
discretionary programs under SAFETEA-LU where all States could fairly 
compete for funding.
  I want to thank Chairman Oberstar, Chairman Costello, Ranking Members 
Mica and Petri for their work to bring about this compromise to move 
this forward so that States like Missouri can receive funding under 
these programs, not only those States that had designated 
appropriations in SAFETEA-LU.
  It is critical for all States to be treated the same, to have these 
opportunities. This is an important compromise as we continue to work 
toward a long-term surface transportation bill that is so vital to our 
economy and growing out of this recession our country has been working 
through. This is important for jobs.
  I congratulate our leadership and our Members and recommend this bill 
to all of our Members.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the 
distinguished chairman of the full committee, Chairman Oberstar.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. I thank the gentleman for yielding and compliment Mr. 
Costello on the splendid job he has done in crafting the FAA 
authorization bill, and the partnership with Mr. Petri, and also with 
Mr. Mica, the Republican leader on the committee who once chaired the 
aviation subcommittee. And together we have fashioned a really solid 
bill for the future. We passed it in two Congresses. It's well past 
time for the Senate to act on this bill, and finally they did, 93-0.
  However, the current program, the current law, as I expressed in my 
colloquy with Mr. Mica, is the longest standing FAA authorization bill, 
simply because we haven't passed the next authorization.
  The House has done its job, as it always does, in two Congresses. We 
first passed this bill in 2007, and were blockaded by the White House 
that threatened veto over certain provisions of the bill. But the 
Senate never even took it up. We never got close to conference, so we 
passed it again last year. And now we need an extension.
  And we passed the extension, but the FAA came back to us and said, 
well, before this extension is enacted, we request a technical 
correction to a provision of the bill relating to formula grants. 
Within the Airport Improvement Program, this technical correction 
ensures that sufficient funds will be allocated to formula grants, 
rather than discretionary grants. And without the correction, FAA said 
they discovered that there could be insufficient funds to cover formula 
apportionments after July 4 of this year. So we're taking up this 
technical correction, sending it over to the other body, in addition to 
the bill we passed last week.
  Now, there is another matter of importance that we've attached to 
this bill, and that is the correction to the HIRE Act that the House 
passed, Senate passed, and then we found that when the Senate moved 
their bill, there was a disruption--I'll be kind about this--to the 
formula, which has already been discussed by other speakers. Mr. Mica 
has talked about it; Mr. Cummings just recently, in which four States 
get 58 percent of the funds, 22 States get nothing. The other 20 states 
get scraps. That's not right. And we need to--and we're correcting that 
in this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 additional minute to Mr. 
Oberstar.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. So we're sending that back to the other body. Majority 
Leader Reid had cleared the correction that we're sending back with the 
appropriate members of the Senate committee leadership and the Senate 
floor leadership, but somehow this correction has gotten bogged down.
  I also urge the other body to act on H.R. 4786, which we passed March 
10, to correct an additional problem created by the filibuster in the 
Senate that caused highway authorization to lapse and 1,922 Federal 
Highway Administration career employees to lose their salaries. They, 
through no fault of their own, get a 20 percent cut in their biweekly 
pay check. That's unreasonable.
  Now we've sent over a bill to the other body with a very clear 
payment restructuring.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has again expired.
  Mr. COSTELLO. I yield 1 additional minute to Chairman Oberstar.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. And the Secretary of Transportation said that he has 
made the shift within the administrative account, but cannot make the 
payment because he needs authority from Congress to do so. So we 
quickly drafted the bill with their technical input, moved the bill, 
with great bipartisan support, great enthusiasm over here; but then 
there is a Member of the other body who is holding it up, saying he 
wants it paid for.
  Well, the Congressional Budget Office has certified to us in writing 
that there is no cost, there is no need for a pay-for. There is no need 
for an offset. We said that at the time we moved this bill. We had 
received it informally from CBO. We now have it in writing from CBO. So 
there is no need to hold up justice for these 1,922 employees who, 
through no fault of their own, just standing there doing their jobs, 
were cut off from their pay because of one person's filibuster over in 
the other body.
  It's time to do justice for these people. Don't hold them up for a 
month if this goes on longer. This is just patently unjust. I urge the 
Senate to act on this bill.

                              {time}  1115

  Mr. PETRI. I yield 1 minute to the Representative from Nevada, a 
member of the subcommittee, Ms. Titus.
  Ms. TITUS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the courtesy of 
yielding.
  I rise today in support of this legislation and in support of the 
provision

[[Page H2273]]

that includes ``to distribute funds for the projects of national 
significance and National Corridor Grant programs through existing 
formulas.''
  Under the HIRE Act, funds for these programs went to only 29 States 
based on whether they had earmarked projects under SAFETEA-LU. Some 
States were big winners, and others were big losers. Twenty-two States 
would receive no funding at all, including my State of Nevada. 
California, Illinois, Louisiana, and Washington, however, would get 
$543 million of the $932 million allocated. The legislation we are 
considering today would correct this inequity.
  In Nevada, it would mean an additional $7.7 million for 
transportation programs. It is an important piece of legislation, and I 
urge its passage.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I would ask how much time we have 
remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois has 1 minute. 
The gentleman from Wisconsin has 9\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, let me say, with the action taken by the 
Senate on Monday of this week, we are one step closer to having an FAA 
reauthorization bill. It is an important piece of legislation. As I 
stated earlier, the industry generates nearly $900 billion in economic 
activity annually that represents 9 percent of our GDP and employs 
millions of American people.
  As our Nation struggles with high unemployment, it is necessary that 
we pass this legislation and move forward so that we can improve 
safety, improve congestion, and reduce delays.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. I join my colleagues in urging a speedy passage of the 
measure before us.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I want to thank both Chairman Oberstar, 
Mr. Mica, and Mr. Petri, and I would urge passage of H.R. 4915, the 
Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4915.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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