Work Stalls on Funding Bill for U.S. FAA

In what may be a sign that big airlines are losing their fight for user fees, talks have broken down over new funding for the U.S. FAA. The Wall Street Journal reports recent attempts at a bipartisan compromise in the Senate collapsed yesterday when Republicans refused to cut off debate on that house’s version of an FAA reauthorization bill, which is the legal basis on which that agency spends money. The Journal said Republicans objected to Democrats’ attachment of non-aviation riders to the bill. Underlying the debate is the airlines’ push to foist FAA operating costs onto general aviation through a scheme of expanded user fees. The Senate compromise didn’t include those user fees, but did call for increased jet fuel taxes. For related news