The US Senate approved a $17.7 billion FY2019 budget for the FAA Aug. 1.
The funding bill was included as part of a “minibus” appropriations package, which consists of four separate appropriations bills. The minibus package passed the Senate by a 92-6 vote.
The $17.7 billion amount is roughly $1.6 billion more than the budget request and $300 million less than the FY2018 enacted level. Of the $17.7 billion headline total, approximately $10.4 billion is earmarked for funding the FAA’s operations; $3 billion for facilities and equipment; $750 million for additional funding for airport improvements; and $191 million for research, engineering and development.
Of the roughly $10.4 billion allocated for funding FAA’s operations, approximately $7.8 billion is earmarked for the Air Traffic Organization; $1.3 billion for aviation safety; $24.9 million for commercial space transportation; $816.6 million for finance and management; $61.7 million for NextGen operations and planning; $114.3 million for security and hazardous materials safety; and $215.3 million for staff offices.
The bill will need to be reconciled with the US House’s proposal, which passed the Transportation Committee in May, but has not yet been taken up by the full chamber. The House bill would also provide $17.7 billion to the FAA for FY2019.
ATW
