Little drama on latest aviation, highway bill extensions

With a minimum of drama at least so far, congressional leaders are considering a bill to extend key aviation and highway funding programs, and could pass it into law this week.

The low-key potential solution, which developed late last week, contrasts with the brouhaha that erupted late in July when the leaders of House Republicans and Senate Democrats deadlocked on an earlier extension for the Federal Aviation Administration. The impasse caused the temporary shutdown of hundreds of airport construction projects, including the new air control tower at McCarran International Airport.

President Barack Obama served notice late last month he did not want a repeat of the summertime gridlock.

Under the latest deal, the funding for the FAA would be extended for four months. As part of the same package, funding for highways and mass-transit programs would be extended for six months.

In both cases, the bills would be "clean" extensions, meaning no controversial or extraneous legislative riders like the cutbacks to rural airport subsidies that provoked the earlier confrontation.

A copy of the bill was posted late Friday on the website of the House Rules Committee by Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Rules Committee said it would likely be considered under a fast-track process.

The current FAA extension bill expires on Friday, adding an element of urgency to the schedule.

Most lawmakers recognize these short-terms renewals are not the best way to run a railroad, or airports or highways in this instance. But they have been unable to form compromises on a raft of contentious issues that would allow for passage of multi-year bills, and so have continued to pass these stop-gaps.

The bill being considered this week would be the eighth short-term highway bill since 2009 and the 22rd such extension for the FAA since 2007.