Senate may not be able to vote on FAA bill this week, Reid says

Bloomberg News

The Senate may not be able to vote on a bill to keep aviation and highway programs operating before the aviation funding expires Sept. 16 because one lawmaker is blocking the measure, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today.

The House yesterday approved funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, packaged with money for highway and transit programs.

Earlier this week, Senator Tom Coburn’s spokesman, John Hart, said the Oklahoma Republican would seek to halt action on the measure because he opposes a requirement that states set aside part of federal highway grants for so-called transportation enhancements such as bike trails and highway beautification.

Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said failure to pass it by the weekend would put about 80,000 people out of work, including 4,000 FAA personnel and 70,000 to 75,000 on airport construction jobs.

“I’m convinced his issue would lose overwhelmingly,” Reid said, without identifying the senator by name. “But he’s holding this legislation up.”

The legislation would extend FAA operations through Jan. 31 and highway and transit programs through March 31.

The most recent FAA extension was signed Aug. 5 after a two-week partial shutdown of the FAA triggered by disagreements between the House and Senate. The current highway measure expires Sept. 30.