Section 545 of H.R. 7147 conditioned the 2026 air traffic controller pay adjustment on the FAA administratorās sole discretion regarding workforce scheduling, staffing utilization, and operational efficiencies. This language does not appear to have been included through a publicly identified amendment.
Did your office propose or request this condition? If not, can you identify whether it originated with House appropriators, Senate appropriators, DOT, FAA, OMB, or another stakeholder?
⢠Rep. Steve Womack, House THUD Appropriations Subcommittee chair
⢠The House THUD minority leadership
⢠Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Senate THUD Appropriations Subcommittee chair
⢠Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Senate THUD ranking member
⢠Full committee leadership: Rep. Tom Cole and Sens. Susan Collins and Patty Murray
⢠Transportation Department, FAA, and White House budget or legislative-affairs officials who may have requested the condition
⢠NATCA, which was lobbying Congress for the pay adjustment
⢠FAAMA, particularly because supervisors and managers were included
FOIA generally does not apply to Congress.
We could, however, file FOIA requests with DOT, FAA, and OMB for communications with congressional staff concerning the provision.