House moves FAA extension, Senate action expected soon

The House on Wednesday approved another extension of FAA programs, this time through July 3 to give lawmakers more time to work on a longer authorization. The Senate is expected to act tbefore the current extension expires at the end of this week.

"We are making progress on a new authorization bill, but we are not there yet," House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., said in a statement. "This extension will give us time to complete the task."

The law first expired at the end of September 2007. Since then, the House and Senate have passed respective multiyear plans.

There are a number of issues to iron out, including House language making it easier for FedEx workers to unionize, a provision strongly backed by Oberstar and other pro-labor Democrats. A spokesman for Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello, D-Ill., said staff is working on less contentious issues before panel members tackle the tougher ones.

The Senate approved a two-year $34.5 billion bill in March after agreeing to have a timeout in a fight over long-range flights to and from Reagan National Airport.