[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4764-4768]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      INTERIM FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, we are seeking a UC, which I expect to get 
sometime relatively soon--at least I hope so. If not, we will have just 
had a good discussion. But I think we are fairly near to making sure 
that it is agreeable to all Senators.
  In the meantime, the Senator from Virginia is missing a very 
important hearing that concerns some China issues. I would like to have 
him recognized at this time since he has to leave the floor.
  The issue is a short-term extension of 60 days of the FAA 
authorization, with two amendments. We are awaiting approval from the 
other side of the aisle before we proceed.
  I yield the floor so that the Senator from Virginia can speak.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague.
  Mr. President, Senator McCain and I met with the majority leader, 
Senator Lott, in the past day or so to discuss the bills relating to 
the Nation's airports. I specifically in each of these meetings raised 
those pieces of legislation that pertain specifically to National and 
Dulles Airports. The Senator and I have worked together for decades. We 
are old shipmates in some respects; slight difference in time, but, 
nevertheless, shipmates. We have our differences.
  The purpose of this legislation today is to enable, at the request of 
the majority leader, a short-term, 60-day measure to go forth to extend 
existing legislation. But I have filed two bills with the Senate. I am 
going to ask now that the second bill be made a part of this extension 
of 60 days.
  There are approximately some $200 million currently in escrow for the 
combined reconstruction programs at National and Dulles Airports. That 
sum is yet to be disbursed. I am working to get it disbursed.
  So, for the moment, Senator McCain and I have agreed, together with 
Senator Lott, that $30 million of that fund can now be released subject 
to adoption by the Senate of this legislation, and, of course, with the 
concurrence in the House; but can be released to begin some very needed 
projects at these airports.
  Mr. President, I am going to depart the floor. I have to go to the 
Senate Intelligence Committee. Senator McCain will put this amendment 
in on my behalf. I think he is going to be a cosponsor on it. But 
essentially we are making some progress towards the release of these 
funds.
  I thank the distinguished chairman and my good friend.
  I will enter no objection to the 60-day legislation going forward.
  I thank the Chair.
  Mr. McCAIN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Enzi). The Senator from Arizona.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, as the Senator from Virginia leaves the 
floor, I will support his amendment, which allows the Metropolitan 
Washington Airports Authority to collection $30 million of the PFC 
charge and Airport Improvement Funding Program to complete projects at 
the Reagan National and Dulles Airports. Full funding for those 
projects has been delayed until we are able to put in place our 
corresponding agreement on the reauthorization of the FAA.
  Mr. President, I have no desire to hold up progress at either 
airport. I will be proposing, if we get agreement from the other side, 
the amendment on behalf of Senator Warner. We have reached an 
agreement.
  I thank the Senator.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague.
  I think it would be wise, I say to our distinguished chairman of the 
Commerce Committee, to advise the Senate with regard to the discussions 
he has had with me and others as to the future timing of the major 
piece of legislation

[[Page 4765]]

in which I have another very specific interest.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I believe that we should be able to pass 
this FAA reauthorization in its entirety very quickly through the floor 
of the Senate. We spent 2 weeks on it last year. This bill is 
fundamentally the same as it was last year. I am hopeful that the 
majority leader will seize the time after the recess to spend a day or 
so on it.
  I would like to remind my colleague from Virginia that we reached an 
agreement on flights from Reagan National, Chicago O'Hare, Kennedy, and 
LaGuardia, the slot-controlled airports last year. And also we had 
agreement on the perimeter rule.
  It is not that we can't reach agreement, because we already did. It 
appears to me that, with the agreement of the majority leader, sometime 
well within the next 30 days we should get this passed, because we 
would have to go to conference with the House. As you know, the House 
bill may contain some rather controversial provisions, including taking 
the entire aviation trust fund off budget, which is an issue which will 
be addressed, frankly, by the majority leader, and the chairman of the 
Budget Committee and others, because it is one that transcends aviation 
itself.
  I thank the Senator.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on that point, when the major piece of 
legislation comes up, as I advised the majority leader himself, I will 
likely have further amendments to that piece of legislation. We 
discussed that the other day.
  I thank the Chair. I yield the floor. I thank my colleague.
  Mr. McCAIN. I thank the Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. President, I want to support this proposal to reauthorize the 
aviation improvement fund for 2 additional months. The Aviation 
Improvement Program is the Federal program that provides much-needed 
grants to airports throughout the country. This program will expire on 
March 31, unless Congress takes some type of action to keep the program 
going.
  I remind my colleagues that the majority leader has scheduled to take 
up the budget all of next week, and it is my understanding that there 
is a recess after that. So I think we would be well to get this 2-month 
extension passed today, if we could, since the other body will have to 
pass it as well. The only change that would be made would be, as we 
just discussed with the Senator from Virginia, that some of the money 
that is not being used at this time would proceed with projects at the 
Reagan National and Dulles Airports.
  This two-month extension will give the Congress enough time to 
complete work on comprehensive aviation proposals that are working 
their way through each chamber. As my colleagues are aware, the 
Commerce Committee recently reported out S. 82, the Air Transportation 
Improvement Act. That bill includes numerous provisions that would help 
the federal government to maintain and improve the safety, security, 
and capacity of our nation's airports and airways. Furthermore, S. 82 
would make great strides in enhancing competition in the airline 
industry--something that is much needed.
  Mr. President, I want to point out again that one of the reasons why 
we should not have a lengthy extension reauthorization is that there 
are several provisions in the bill that directly affect airline safety. 
It is not in our interest not to have those provisions enacted into 
law, not to mention the compelling need that we have to modernize our 
air traffic control system.
  I would prefer to have the Senate take up consideration of S. 82 
rather than this short-term extension. But I understand that there is 
other important business pending before the Senate that prevents us 
from debating it at this time. Given these existing time constraints 
and the looming expiration of the AIP, there simply may not be enough 
time for both chambers to pass comprehensive aviation legislation. 
Therefore, this extension has become necessary.
  Nevertheless, I look forward to bringing the complete reauthorization 
bill to the Senate floor for a full debate as soon as possible. Because 
S. 82 is very similar to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
reauthorization bill that passed the Senate last year by a vote of 92 
to 1, I am confident that we will be able to move it swiftly soon after 
the Easter-Passover recess.
  Despite the immediate need for this extension, the Senate and House 
are close to meeting our mutually shared goals of enacting significant 
legislation to improve the state of aviation in this country. A few 
weeks should give everyone more than enough time to complete this 
effort.
  I would now like to outline what is contained in this short-term 
extension of the AIP. Most important, it would allow the FAA to 
continue supporting important safety and capacity projects at hundreds 
of airports around the nation. It also includes several technical 
amendments requested by the FAA to ensure that the program can be 
properly managed until we have the opportunity to reauthorize it on a 
multi-year basis. Authorizations would also be provided for the FAA's 
Operations account and its Facilities and Equipment programs through 
the end of this fiscal year.
  In addition, this proposal would extend the Aviation Insurance 
Program, which is commonly known as war risk insurance. This program 
provides insurance for commercial aircraft that are operating in high 
risk areas, such as countries at war or on the verge of war. Commercial 
insurers usually will not provide coverage for such operation, which 
are often required to further U.S. foreign policy or national security 
policy.
  This short-term extension would also correct a technical oversight 
related to the Military Airport Program, which provides grants for the 
conversion of military aviation facilities to civilian use. When the 
AIP was extended for six months in last year's omnibus appropriations 
bill, the MAP was not specifically reauthorized. Consequently, the 
program is not currently eligible to receive funds. This extension 
would remedy the situation.
  I also want to express my appreciation to Majority Leader Lott and 
the leadership of the Appropriations Committee for allowing this AIP 
extension to move through the Senate so quickly.
  I know the Senate schedule is quite full. I strongly urge my 
colleagues to support this 2-month extension of the AIP. It will give 
us sufficient time to fulfill our larger responsibility to enact 
substantive aviation legislation. I think we owe it to the American 
people to keep aviation policy high on our list of national priorities.
  Mr. President, I would like to address the amendment that I will 
offer on behalf of Senator Warner, if we get agreement to move forward 
on this legislation.
  I support his amendment, which is $30 million for the passenger, use 
of the passenger facility charge for the Airport Improvement program 
funding that is applied to complete projects at Reagan National and 
Dulles Airports. Full Federal funding for these projects will be 
delayed until we are able to put in place our corresponding agreement 
on new flights at Reagan National.
  To his credit, my colleague from Virginia has demonstrated that 
certain capacity-related, perhaps safety-related projects at National 
and Dulles should not remain unfunded. I agree we should not allow our 
negotiations to get in the way of these improvements.
  Mr. President, my new colleague from Illinois, Senator Fitzgerald, 
has been involved in this issue for some time. Senator Fitzgerald has 
previously represented a district in the Illinois State Legislature, 
the residents of which had a significant involvement in this issue. 
There are some complicated issues out in the State of Illinois 
concerning the need for or not the need for an additional airport in 
Illinois. That has somewhat complicated this issue as regards to 
Chicago O'Hare Airport.
  I have had several meetings with Senator Fitzgerald.
  Senator Fitzgerald is doing his utmost to see if we can't arrive at a 
reasonable resolution of this issue. I appreciate his immediate 
attention to

[[Page 4766]]

this issue, and I am impressed with his in-depth knowledge of this 
important situation.
  I look forward to working with him during the period, if we are able 
to pass it, of this 2-month extension.
  I note that my friend from Virginia, Senator Robb, is here. He and I 
have had a great deal of friendly combat on this issue, and I hope that 
Senator Robb would agree to this 2-month extension so that we can 
continue this friendly but very spirited discussion that he and I have 
been having for several years. Since Senator Robb has arrived in the 
Chamber, I will reserve the remainder of my remarks and yield the 
floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Virginia.
  Mr. ROBB. I thank the Chair. I thank my friend from Arizona. And he 
is, indeed, my friend. On most issues we are as one, particularly as it 
relates to our Nation's defense, and many other areas, sometimes taking 
on some tough issues.
  This is one of those areas where we disagree. We have a fundamental 
disagreement with respect to the scope of the legislation that we 
passed some 13 years ago, and whether or not Congress should still have 
its hands in and control of the local regional airport authority. But I 
thank my friend from Arizona for not offering an amendment that I was 
told about an hour ago he was going to offer which would in effect have 
told the local airport authority not only that they could not have 
their nominees approved, that they had to have additional slots and 
change the perimeter, but tell them exactly how to spend the money that 
they were going to get.
  I thank my friend from Arizona for not doing that because that, 
frankly, would be an additional insult to the authority that Congress 
granted to the local authority some 13 years ago. We are going to have 
a significant discussion about the wisdom of Congress meddling in the 
local airport authority's jurisdiction to determine its own fate and 
make its own decisions with respect to the number of flights, the 
impact that the number of flights has on noise pollution, on safety, on 
the convenience of customers, and a number of other factors that are 
involved, and whether or not we ought to allow the two airports, 
working together, to work out a plan that helps both of them grow and 
both of them to serve the greater Metropolitan Washington area.
  But for now, recognizing that there is a longstanding, legitimate 
need to release some of the airport improvement funds, I thank my 
friend from Arizona for at least allowing us to get what I understand--
and I haven't still read the entire amendment--is about $30 million, 
which is $10 million more than we had a little while ago and with less 
strings attached. For increasing the number--it is not the $200 million 
that the airports are owed, but it is $30 million that will allow them 
to get started on much delayed, very important projects, particularly 
out at Dulles International--I thank my friend from Arizona for this 
modified amendment.
  I join not only my friend from Arizona, but the distinguished senior 
Senator from Virginia and urge its passage as soon as it is the will of 
the Senate to do so. With that, Mr. President, I thank the Chair and, 
again, I thank my friend from Arizona. We will have more opportunity to 
discuss the full merits of this legislation at a later time.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would like to say to my friend, Senator 
Robb, that it shows I am just an easy mark and pushover; whatever the 
Senator from Virginia and the good folks out at the Metropolitan 
Washington Airports Authority want, I always try to do. I am sure the 
Senator is aware of that.
  Seriously, I do look forward to this debate with Senator Robb. We may 
never agree on it, because I know how strongly held his views are, and 
I believe he is reflecting the views of many of his constituents. But I 
do want to emphasize that the respectful level of debate, the 
friendship that exists between us, I think, has been important to me 
because this has been very emotional. My motives have been probably 
impugned more than in some years about why I support this legislation.
  My friend from Virginia has never alleged anything but that we just 
have different views, and I am very appreciative of that. And I know 
that the other aspect of the approach of the Senator from Virginia is 
that he is willing, and has shown in the past an eagerness to debate 
the issue openly and fairly, taking whatever time is necessary, and 
then we put it to a vote of the Senate.
  That is the way we should work around here, and that is the way, to 
my knowledge, the Senator from Virginia has always operated. So I thank 
the Senator from Virginia.
  I yield for the Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. ROBB addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, if I might respond to the Senator from 
Arizona, I thank him for his compliments. I do have enormous personal 
respect for him. It has not been personal. I disagree with him not on 
the basis of whatever motivation he has, but on the impact that it has 
on the regional authority that this institution authorized some 13 
years ago and on which I worked during the end of my term as Governor 
with then former Governor Holton, then-Secretary of Transportation 
Elizabeth Dole, then-Senator Warner, then other members of the local 
delegation, and others. But it is a merit-based discussion, and I do 
look forward to having that with Senator McCain at the appropriate 
time. But for right now it is important to have the $30 million 
available to us.
  Again, I thank my friend from Arizona.
  With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.


                      unanimous consent agreement

  Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that it now be in order to 
proceed to the consideration of S. 643, which is at the desk. I further 
ask that it be considered under the following limitations: 30 minutes 
for debate on the bill equally divided in the usual form; the only 
first-degree amendment in order to the bill be an amendment by Senator 
Warner regarding airport funding, and the debate on that amendment be 
limited to 30 minutes equally divided in the usual form; no other 
amendments or motions be in order to the bill. I further ask unanimous 
consent that following the disposition of the above-listed amendment, 
the bill be read a third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 643) to authorize the Airport Improvement 
     Program for 2 months, and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.


                            Amendment No. 76

    (Purpose: To release $30 million of the funds available to the 
 Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for passenger facility fee/
                     airport development projects)

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I made my remarks already about the 
necessity for this bill, so I would like to now send to the desk the 
amendment offered by Senator Warner, for himself, and Mr. Robb.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Arizona [Mr. McCain], for Mr. Warner, for 
     himself, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Robb proposes an amendment 
     numbered 76.

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC.   . RELEASE OF 10 PERCENT OF MWAA FUNDS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding sections 49106(c)(6)(C) 
     and 49108 of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary of 
     Transportation may approve an application of the Metropolitan 
     Washington Airports Authority (an application that is pending 
     at the Department of transportation on March 17, 1999) for

[[Page 4767]]

     expenditure or obligation of up to $30,000,000 of the amount 
     that otherwise would have been available to the Authority for 
     passenger facility fee/airport development project grants 
     under subchapter I of chapter 471 of such title.
       (b) Limitation.--The Authority may not execute contracts, 
     for applications approved under subsection (a), that obligate 
     or expend amounts totalling more than the amount for which 
     the Secretary may approve applications under that subsection, 
     except to the extent that funding for amounts in excess of 
     that amount are from other authority or sources.

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, rather than take up the time of the Senate 
on this amendment, I have described it, both Senators from Virginia 
have described it, so I note there is no further debate on the 
amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is all time yielded back?
  Mr. McCAIN. I yield the remainder of my time; on behalf of the other 
side, I yield the remainder of their time.
  THE PRESIDING OFFICER. If there be no further debate, the question is 
on agreeing to the amendment.
  The amendment (No. 76) was agreed to.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, finally, I look forward to bringing 
forward the complete reauthorization bill to the Senate as soon as 
possible for debate. It is very similar to the FAA reauthorization bill 
that passed the Senate last year by a vote of 92 to 1. I am confident 
we will be able to move it soon after the Easter/Passover recess.
  Mr. President, we are committed to getting this done. I will not 
reopen the debate with Senator Robb, as I mentioned. But it was a 
Federal law that caused a situation where, according to the Department 
of Transportation, the General Accounting Office, and every other 
outside organization in this Nation that has observed this situation, 
they all agree that in the present situation, where the perimeter rule 
is in place and the slot rule is in place, there is a decrease in 
competition and higher air fares. That is indisputable. That is 
indisputable: higher air fares, less competition.
  We have had a tremendous increase in complaints by people from all 
over the country about the air service in America today. Many of those 
complaints are a direct result of a lack of competition, because the 
one thing we know, no matter where a service is provided, in what area 
of the public sector, if there is not competition, there is a 
commensurate decrease of service. That happens to prevail whether it be 
selling hamburgers or whether it be department stores or whether it be 
public transportation or the cable industry or any other. And when we 
have the deplorable conditions which have provoked an outcry all over 
America, which has then motivated Senator Hollings, Senator Wyden and 
me, with almost unanimous agreement from the entire Commerce Committee, 
to introduce a bill called the Passengers Protection Act, then it is 
clear there is something badly wrong with the service that is provided 
in America today.
  You can trace it back to lack of competition. When you are the only 
game in town, you can give about whatever service you want to give. 
That is the case at National Airport, because there is no fear that 
there will be additional flights to compete with those that are flying 
out of National Airport. So I believe very strongly we need to lift 
this congressionally approved perimeter rule.
  I will say, without referring to anything that has happened in the 
past, it is more than coincidental that it happens to reach the western 
edge of the runway at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. But I will not go 
into that debate and discussion at this time.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                      Unanimous-Consent Agreement

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, to complete the unanimous-consent 
agreement, I ask consent that following the disposition of the 
amendment, that the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to 
a vote on passage of the bill with no intervening action or debate.
  I finally ask consent that following that vote, the Senate proceed to 
the consideration of Calendar No. 15, H.R. 99, and all after the 
enacting clause be stricken and the text of S. 643, as amended, be 
inserted in lieu thereof, and the bill be read a third time and passed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, and was 
read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on the bill.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the vote take 
place at 4:15.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I yield the remainder of my time, and I 
yield the remainder of Senator Hollings' time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time has been yielded back.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thomas). The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, in the couple of moments remaining 
before the 4:15 vote, I rise in strong support of the 2-month extension 
of the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program. 
The AIP, as it is known, Airport Improvement Program, is absolutely 
basic to virtually all of our Nation's airports, and in rural States it 
is particularly important.
  We were unable to complete our work on this last year for a variety 
of reasons that I am not going to dwell on, but I do want to emphasize 
how important it is that we pass this 2-month reauthorization 
extension.
  Airports in West Virginia, South Dakota, I would presume Wyoming, and 
all other places are going to need this money in the planning of runway 
projects, in terms of resurfacing and repairing runways, 
infrastructure. And all of that is tremendously important.
  I think people often tend to underestimate the power of the growth of 
the aviation industry and the enormous consequences that go along with 
that. We tend to think that it is a large industry, but we do not 
really know whether it is growing or not that much. It is one of the 
most dynamic. It is not up there quite with the Internet in its growth, 
but it is not that far behind. Americans are flying in absolute record 
numbers, and the growth in air traffic alone will be just under 4 
percent for each of the next 12 years. People are getting on airplanes; 
600 million people this year in this country. That is going to go up to 
820 million in several years. When you get that kind of growth, you 
cannot just leave what you have been using in place unchanged and 
unrenovated. It has to be modern. It has to work. It has to be safe.
  This year the FAA, and in particular its Airport Improvement Program, 
is being forced to do this kind of improvement work in a very piecemeal 
fashion. That is not good. That is not safe. It is not modern and, when 
you are playing around with the world of aviation, it is very, very 
unwise. The short-term extension is what we are doing, frankly, because 
that is the best we can do. It doesn't mean it is the best that we 
could do; it is the best that we can do. In Congress, sometimes, you 
have to do that.
  I am very committed, as I know Chairman McCain is, Senator Hollings, 
and Senator Gorton, to enacting a full and comprehensive 
reauthorization of the FAA and airport improvement bill this year. That 
will

[[Page 4768]]

come. There will be discussions and controversy, but that will come. We 
passed a bill out of the Commerce Committee, so we are on our way on 
that.
  We have other things we have to look at. We have to look at the 
modernization of the FAA system itself, our air traffic control system. 
We happen to have an absolutely superb individual, Mr. President, 
running the FAA in the person of Jane Garvey--absolutely superb. In 
working with her, you can just see all kinds of good things happening. 
But we have to reauthorize so that we can get on to modernizing our air 
traffic control system, modernizing certain parts of the FAA itself, 
its institutional structure, and dealing with the whole question of how 
we allocate aviation dollars.
  For the moment, what we need is what we have at hand, the pending 
measure, a 2-month extension of the reauthorization. I hope soon my 
colleagues will go along with that.
  I thank my friend, the distinguished Presiding Officer. I yield the 
floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Under the previous order, the question is, Shall the bill, S. 643, as 
amended, pass? The yeas and nays have been ordered. The clerk will call 
the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 100, nays 0, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 52 Leg.]

                               YEAS--100

     Abraham
     Akaka
     Allard
     Ashcroft
     Baucus
     Bayh
     Bennett
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Boxer
     Breaux
     Brownback
     Bryan
     Bunning
     Burns
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Cleland
     Cochran
     Collins
     Conrad
     Coverdell
     Craig
     Crapo
     Daschle
     DeWine
     Dodd
     Domenici
     Dorgan
     Durbin
     Edwards
     Enzi
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Fitzgerald
     Frist
     Gorton
     Graham
     Gramm
     Grams
     Grassley
     Gregg
     Hagel
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Helms
     Hollings
     Hutchinson
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Kyl
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lincoln
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     McCain
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nickles
     Reed
     Reid
     Robb
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Roth
     Santorum
     Sarbanes
     Schumer
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Smith (NH)
     Smith (OR)
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thurmond
     Torricelli
     Voinovich
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wyden
  The bill (S. 643), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                 S. 643

       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 ``Interim Federal Aviation 
     Administration Authorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 48103 of 
     title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking from 
     ``$1,205,000,000'' through the period and inserting 
     ``$1,607,000,000 for the 8-month period beginning October 1, 
     1998.''.
       (b) Obligational Authority.--Section 47104(c) of such title 
     is amended by striking ``March'' and inserting ``May''.
       (c) Liquidation-of-Contract Authorization.--The Department 
     of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     1999 is amended by striking the last proviso under the 
     heading ``Grants-in-Aid for Airports, (Liquidation of 
     Contract Authorization), (Airport and Airway Trust Fund)'' 
     and inserting ``Provided further, That not more than 
     $1,300,000,000 of funds limited under this heading may be 
     obligated before the enactment of a law extending contract 
     authorization for the Grants-in-Aid for Airports Program 
     beyond May 31, 1999.''.

     SEC. 3. AIRWAY FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       Section 48101(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
       ``(3) $2,131,000,000 for fiscal year 1999.''.

     SEC. 4. FAA OPERATIONS.

       Section 106(k) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking from ``$5,158,000,000'' through the period and 
     inserting ``$5,632,000,000 for fiscal year 1999.''.

     SEC. 5. REMOVAL OF THE CAP ON DISCRETIONARY FUND.

       Section 47115(g) is amended by striking paragraph (4).

     SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF AVIATION INSURANCE PROGRAM.

       Section 44310 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking ``March'' and inserting ``May''.

     SEC. 7. MILITARY AIRPORT PROGRAM.

       Section 124 of the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 
     1996 is amended by striking subsection (d).

     SEC. 8. DISCRETIONARY FUND DEFINITION.

       (a) Amendment of Section 47115.--Section 47115 of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``25'' in subsection (a) and inserting 
     ``12.5''; and
       (2) by striking the second sentence in subsection (b).
       (b) Amendment of Section  47116.--Section 47116 of such 
     title is amended--
       (1) by striking ``75'' in subsection (a) and inserting 
     ``87.5'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) in subsection 
     (b) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and inserting 
     before subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, the following:
       ``(1) one-seventh for grants for projects at small hub 
     airports (as defined in section 41731 of this title); and
       ``(2) the remaining amounts based on the following:''.

     SEC. 9. RELEASE OF 10 PERCENT OF MWAA FUNDS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding sections 49106(c)(6)(C) 
     and 49108 of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary of 
     Transportation may approve an application of the Metropolitan 
     Washington Airports Authority (an application that is pending 
     at the Department of Transportation on March 17, 1999) for 
     expenditure or obligation of up to $30,000,000 of the amount 
     that otherwise would have been available to the Authority for 
     passenger facility fee/airport development project grants 
     under subchapter I of chapter 471 of such title.
       (b) Limitation.--The Authority may not execute contracts, 
     for applications approved under subsection (a), that obligate 
     or expend amounts totalling more than the amount for which 
     the Secretary may approve applications under that subsection, 
     except to the extent that funding for amounts in excess of 
     that amount are from other authority or sources.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, H.R. 99 is amended 
by substituting the text of S. 643, is read a third time, and passed.
  The bill (H.R. 99) as amended, was passed.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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