Airport Alert: Senate Passes Bill to Fund Federal Government Through Remainder of Fiscal Year

Senate Passes Bill to Fund Federal Government Through Remainder of Fiscal Year
March 14, 2025

After two days of heated debate and closed-door discussions, the Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) with a vote of 54-46 to fund the federal government through September 30, 2025, averting a federal government shutdown. The President is expected to sign the bill shortly.
 
Democrats in the Senate were deeply divided over supporting this CR, which funds the government at the fiscal year 2024 levels, with a few exceptions. Many Senate Democrats expressed concern that passage of this bill would give the Administration free rein to ignore congressional directives on how the funds should be distributed and to continue its ongoing efforts to shrink the federal government.
 
Democratic Senators, led by Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), instead wanted to pass a four-week patch in the hopes that they could finalize FY25 spending bills for all federal agencies, instead of a full-year CR, during that timeframe. However, they did not have enough support for that proposal.
 
As a reminder, the CR is a mixed bag for airport priorities. It fully funds AIP at the authorized level of $4 billion, provides an additional $50 million for AIP discretionary grants, increases funding for the FAA to address air traffic control and safety issues, and should allow the agency to dedicate higher funding for the Contract Tower Program. It also provides $450 million for the Essential Air Service program and continues funding for TSA to staff airport exit lanes at locations where they are required to do so.
 
However, the CR does not restore funding for TSA law enforcement officer reimbursement grants, state and local-led canine teams, or reimbursements to airports for explosive detection systems they purchased before 2007. Funding for these programs was eliminated in FY24.  Finally, the CR contains no earmarks.