[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 92 (Friday, June 24, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H4533-H4534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2011, PART III
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committees on
Transportation and Infrastructure and Ways and Means be discharged from
further consideration of the bill (H.R. 2279) 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 the airport improvement program, and for other
purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2279
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 ``Airport and Airway Extension
Act of 2011, Part III''.
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
``June 30, 2011'' and inserting ``July 22, 2011''.
(b) Ticket Taxes.--
(1) Persons.--Clause (ii) of section 4261(j)(1)(A) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``June
30, 2011'' and inserting ``July 22, 2011''.
(2) Property.--Clause (ii) of section 4271(d)(1)(A) of such
Code is amended by striking ``June 30, 2011'' and inserting
``July 22, 2011''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on July 1, 2011.
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 ``July 1, 2011'' and inserting ``July 23,
2011''; and
(2) by inserting ``or the Airport and Airway Extension Act
of 2011, Part III'' 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 ``July 1, 2011'' and
inserting ``July 23, 2011''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on July 1, 2011.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--Section 48103 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the
following:
``(8) $2,840,890,411 for the period beginning on October 1,
2010, and ending on July 22, 2011.''.
(2) Obligation of amounts.--Subject to limitations
specified in advance in appropriation Acts, sums made
available pursuant to the amendment made by paragraph (1) may
be obligated at any time through September 30, 2011, 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, 2010, and
ending on July 22, 2011, 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 2011 were $3,515,000,000; and
(B) then reduce by 7 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 ``June 30, 2011,'' and inserting
``July 22, 2011,''.
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES.
(a) Section 40117(l)(7) of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``July 1, 2011.'' and inserting ``July
23, 2011.''.
(b) Section 44302(f)(1) of such title is amended--
(1) by striking ``June 30, 2011,'' and inserting ``July 22,
2011,''; and
(2) by striking ``September 30, 2011,'' and inserting
``October 31, 2011,''.
(c) Section 44303(b) of such title is amended by striking
``September 30, 2011,'' and inserting ``October 31, 2011,''.
(d) Section 47107(s)(3) of such title is amended by
striking ``July 1, 2011.'' and inserting ``July 23, 2011.''.
(e) Section 47115(j) of such title is amended by striking
``July 1, 2011,'' and inserting ``July 23, 2011,''.
(f) Section 47141(f) of such title is amended by striking
``June 30, 2011.'' and inserting ``July 22, 2011.''.
(g) Section 49108 of such title is amended by striking
``June 30, 2011,'' and inserting ``July 22, 2011,''.
(h) Section 161 of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation
Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 47109 note) is amended by
striking ``July 1, 2011,'' and inserting ``July 23, 2011,''.
(i) Section 186(d) of such Act (117 Stat. 2518) is amended
by striking ``July 1, 2011,'' and inserting ``July 23,
2011,''.
(j) The amendments made by this section shall take effect
on July 1, 2011.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, June 24, 2011.
Hon. John Mica,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Mica, I am writing concerning H.R. 2279, the
``Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011, Part III'' which
is expected to be scheduled for floor consideration today.
As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means has
jurisdiction over the Internal Revenue Code. Sections 2 and 3
of this bill amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by
extending the current Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF)
expenditure authority and the associated Federal excise taxes
to July 22, 2011. In order to expedite H.R. 2279 for Floor
consideration, the Committee will forgo action on the bill.
This is being done with the understanding that it does not in
any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the
appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 2279, and would ask
that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be
included in the Congressional Record during Floor
consideration.
Sincerely,
Dave Camp,
Chairman.
____
Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC, June 24, 2011.
Hon. Dave Camp,
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Longworth House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman, Thank you for your letter regarding H.R.
2279, the ``Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011, Part
III.'' The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
recognizes the Committee on Ways and Means has a
jurisdictional interest in H.R. 2279, and I appreciate your
effort to facilitate consideration of this bill.
I concur with you that forgoing action on H.R. 2279 does
not in any way prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with
respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or
similar legislation in the future, and I would support your
effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of
conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this
legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 2279 in the
Congressional Record during House Floor consideration of the
bill. Again, I appreciate your cooperation regarding this
legislation and I look forward to working with the Committee
on Ways and Means as the bill moves through the legislative
process.
Sincerely,
John L. Mica,
Chairman.
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2279, the
``Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011, Part III.'' This bill is a
``clean'' extension of the authority of the Federal Aviation
Administration, FAA, to spend from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund
and to carry out airport improvement projects at current levels through
July 22, 2011.
In February, the Senate approved a bipartisan, comprehensive FAA
reauthorization bill by a wide 87-to-8-vote margin. Passage of the
Senate bill was applauded by both labor and industry stakeholders, and
it was estimated that the bill would create at least 150,000 jobs.
The House followed on April 1 with a bill containing some
controversial provisions that the Senate has indicated it will not
accept. These provisions include the repeal of a National Mediation
Board rule on fair union representation elections and cuts to funding
for FAA programs, airport construction and improvement, and air traffic
control modernization.
For the last 2 months, we have worked with the Senate to resolve a
number of differences between the two bills. The negotiations have made
good progress, and, with just a handful of major differences remaining,
we may be on the cusp of enacting a long-term reauthorization--a
reauthorization that provides the FAA with the stability and funding
necessary to safeguard safety, modernize the system, and create jobs.
Like my Republican colleagues, I had hoped that each of the previous
two short-term extensions would be the last. I was reassured by
[[Page H4534]]
their expressions of a commitment to deliver a forward-looking bill
that could pass both chambers and be signed by the President. But now
we find ourselves with the need for a twentieth short-term extension.
This extension is necessary, but I again say to my Republican
colleagues: Let this extension be the last. Get a long-term bill done.
I will work with my colleagues across the aisle to produce a
bipartisan FAA bill that will create jobs and keep our economy moving
throughout the 21st century and make this our last extension. For the
present time, however, this extension is necessary, and I urge my
colleagues to support it.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the
table.
____________________