Airport and Airway Extension Act of Part II
Floor Speech
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8289) to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8289
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 2024, Part II''. SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents. TITLE I--FEDERAL AVIATION PROGRAMS Sec. 101. Extension of airport improvement program; discretionary fund. Sec. 102. Extension of expiring authorities; miscellaneous authorizations. TITLE II--AIRPORT REVENUE PROVISIONS Sec. 201. Expenditure authority from Airport and Airway Trust Fund. Sec. 202. Extension of taxes funding Airport and Airway Trust Fund. TITLE I--FEDERAL AVIATION PROGRAMS SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM; DISCRETIONARY FUND.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 48103(a)(7) of title 49, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting ``$2,105,191,256 for the period beginning October 1, 2023, and ending on May 17, 2024.'' for ``$2,041,120,218 for the period beginning October 1, 2023, and ending on May 10, 2024.''.
(b) Obligation Authority.--Subject to limitations specified in advance in appropriations Acts, sums made available pursuant to subsection (a) may be obligated at any time through September 30, 2024, and shall remain available until expended.
(c) Project Grant Authority.--Section 47104(c) of title 49, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting ``May 17, 2024'' for ``May 10, 2024''.
(d) Special Rule for Apportionments.--Section 47114(c)(1)(J) of title 49, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting ``May 17, 2024'' for ``May 10, 2024''.
(e) Supplemental Discretionary Funds.--Section 47115(j)(4)(A) of title 49, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting ``$334,563,279 for the period beginning on October 1, 2023, and ending on May 17, 2024.'' for ``$340,321,762 for the period beginning on October 1, 2023, and ending on May 10, 2024.''. SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES; MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORIZATIONS.
(a) The following provisions of law shall be applied by substituting ``May 17, 2024'' for ``May 10, 2024'':
(1) Section 44310(b) of title 49, United States Code.
(2) Section 44803(h) of title 49, United States Code.
(3) Section 44807(d) of title 49, United States Code.
(4) Section 44810(h) of title 49, United States Code.
(5) Section 47115(i) of title 49, United States Code.
(6) Section 47141(f) of title 49, United States Code.
(7) Section 186(d) of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (Public Law 108-176).
(8) Section 409(d) of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 41731 note).
(9) Section 411(h) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 42301 note).
(10) Section 822(k) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 47141 note).
(11) Section 161(a)(10) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 47104 note).
(12) Section 162 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 47102 note).
(13) Section 372(d) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44810 note).
(14) Section 424(e) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 42302 note).
(15) Section 439(g) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 41705 note).
(16) Section 547(e) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40103 note).
(b) The following provisions of law shall be applied by substituting ``May 18, 2024'' for ``May 11, 2024'':
(1) Section 47107(r)(3) of title 49, United States Code.
(2) Section 47143(c) of title 49, United States Code.
(3) Section 50905(c)(9) of title 51, United States Code.
(4) Section 210G(i) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124n(i)).
(5) Section 2306(b) of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-190; 130 Stat. 641).
(c) Section 48105 of title 49, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting ``$24,508,197 for the period beginning on October 1, 2023, and ending on May 17, 2024.'' for ``$23,762,295 for the period beginning on October 1, 2023, and ending on May 10, 2024.''. TITLE II--AIRPORT REVENUE PROVISIONS SEC. 201. EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY FROM AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND.
(a) Sections 9502(d)(1) and 9502(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied by substituting ``May 18, 2024'' for ``May 11, 2024''.
(b) Section 9502(d)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting ``or the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2024, Part II;''. SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF TAXES FUNDING AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND.
(a) Sections 4043(d), 4081(d)(2)(B), 4261(j), 4261(k)(1)(A)(ii), and 4271(d)(1)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied by substituting ``May 17, 2024'' for ``May 10, 2024''.
(b) Section 4083(b) of such Code shall be applied by substituting ``May 18, 2024'' for ``May 11, 2024''.
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. 8289.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8289 extends the statutory authorities of the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, through May 17, 2024. While this extension provides for key extensions of FAA authorities, such as the continued collection of aviation excise taxes that the safe operation of the national airspace is very dependent on, it is largely needed to accommodate the Senate's inability to successfully pass the conferenced FAA bill in time for the House to take a final vote before Friday.
The House did its part to provide for a long-term reauthorization of the FAA on time and well ahead of schedule when we passed H.R. 3935 last summer in an overwhelming bipartisan fashion with more than 350 votes. It is unfortunate that the Senate's process for considering its FAA bill continues to be plagued by delays necessitating this extension.
I know my colleagues in the House are ready to send the compromise bill to the President once and for all. The good news is that we are so close to doing that.
Setting aside the Senate's ability to act in a timely manner, the stark reality is that the FAA is set to expire on May 10, and we must act to pass another extension to maintain safety in the National Airspace System.
The Senate and House have worked tirelessly since the Senate Commerce Committee marked up its FAA bill in February. We have worked tirelessly to reconcile differences and produce a comprehensive FAA bill that provides certainty to the agency and the entire aviation community for the next 5 years.
The negotiated bill provides the long-term certainty to ensure the safety and prosperity of the American aviation industry for decades to come. Extensions don't provide any certainty, nor do they provide for the robust investments airports across the country need to ensure the continued transportation of goods and services to our communities.
For those reasons, both Chambers remain committed to passing a long- term bill.
In the meantime, this extension buys the Senate a little bit more time to do their job while keeping the national airspace safe and ensuring that airlines don't get a $50 million-a-day tax break.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this extension so that we can consider the conferenced bill next week.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge all Members to support this must-pass bill so we can keep our aviation system operating safely and focus on passing a long-term FAA bill next week.
H.R. 8289 provides for a clean extension of FAA authorities. It does not include policy riders.
Failure to extend FAA's authorities will cost the Federal Government more than $50 million a day in lost revenues. Enacting a long-term comprehensive FAA bill is the goal of both the House and Senate, and I look forward to presenting that critical piece of legislation to you next week.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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