A Congress lasts 2 years. Each year is called a session. We are presently in the 110th Congress, 2nd Session.

Article 1, Section 7 says "if any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law."

The 20th Amendment sets as noon of January 3rd, or another day as passed into law as the day the Congress shall assemble.

What this all means is:

- if FAA Reauthorization is not passed before Congress adjourns in December 2008 for their winter holiday, the whole process has to start at square one because no bill introduced in a Congress can carry over to another Congress.

- if FAA Reauthorization is passed and then Congress adjourns and the President refuses to sign it, it is "pocket vetoed" and it's back to square one.

- Back to square one means the bill has to be introduced in both Houses of Congress, there have to be committee hearings (again), each house has to vote on the bill, the bills have to go to conference committee for reconcilliation, they then have to be voted on again, and sent to the President for signature or veto. If it's vetoed, they have to be voted on again to see if it can be overridden.

Either way NATCA gets screwed. When the Senate Aviation Subcommittee Chairman says FAA Reauthorization is dead, chances are it's dead. He knows both the House and Senate don't have the votes to implement the $25 per IFR flight on business jets/GA aircraft. In fact, it has already been voted down in the House by a large majority of Dems and Reps. The issue of NATCA isn't even a factor in getting the bill to pass. It just makes a good talking point and allows folks to make speeches and threats.

If nothing moves this year, it'll be another 12-16 months before anything happens, IF anything happens. Hell, it'll almost be time to re-open contract negotiations on a new contract before this thing is settled.

ATC@WTF wrote: [TO: ihate2fly]
ihate2fly,

Thank you for posting what was obviously missing My bet is this will not get settled(if ever) until the next contract is imposed sometime in the summer of 2010.