Temporary FAA funding approved by House panel

The four-year FAA bill changes rules adopted last year by the National Mediation Board rules that said absentee votes in collective bargaining elections were not counted as votes against forming a union.

Previously, a majority had to be all of workers, not just all workers present.

Union groups have called the proposed return to the old rules undemocratic. 

Prior to the union flap, Democrats had pushed the FAA measure as an “aviation jobs bill.”

The long-term FAA bill reduces the agency’s spending to 2008 levels, which amounts to about a $4 billion cut.

“This extension will keep our aviation programs funded through the end of May, and I have renewed confidence that, with the Senate having already passed its bill and our reauthorization headed to the floor in the next couple weeks, this should be our final extension,” Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-Wisc.) said in a statement.  “I know the Senate is as eager as we are in the House to get a long-term reauthorization in place.”