FAA Reauthorization Bill finally on Senate agenda: safety, pax rights, NextGen hopes at stake

The US Senate has finally turned its attention to the USD35 billion Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation that has lain fallow for so long - since the expiration of the last Reauthorization legislation in 2007. Planning of every kind fell victim to the series of no less than 11 continuing resolutions (CR) since then that funded the agency and its work on NextGen. After taking up its version of the bill last week, the Senate was to resume deliberations this week against a deadline of the expiration of the latest CR at the end of this month. What is so interesting is Senate leadership - including Majority Leader Harry Reid - has called the measure a high priority.