Clinton Threatens To Veto House's $57B Aviation Bill

<B> Clinton Threatens To Veto House's $57B Aviation Bill</B>

By Barbara Cook

<I>Washington</I> - The House of Representatives last month passed a $57 billion aviation package that will sharply increase spending on airport and air traffic control improvements, and double the current $3 cap on passenger facility charges. The administration promptly issued a statement warning that President Clinton would veto the legislation if it presented in its present form.

The sticking point is a provision in the bill, H.R.1000, that would take the aviation trust fund off budget. This budgetary maneuver would place firewalls around the trust fund to ensure that its revenue--supplied largely by passenger and cargo air taxes--only could be spent on aviation improvements. Currently, a portion of the trust fund is used for budget balancing, keeping the fund at a surplus and denying spending for many aviation programs.

The bill passed by a healthy 316-110, largely due to the fact that it promises to deliver sorely needed construction dollars to airports in most congressional districts. The bill was criticized by some House members, however, as a budget-buster that would undermine spending on other programs, including education.

A provision in H.R.1000 would authorize six additional slots daily at Washington Reagan airport. Although originally the bill had a provision to totally eliminate slot restrictions at New York LaGuardia and JFK, and Chicago O'Hare, it later was amended to allow New York's two airports to retain slots until 2007, while O'Hare would retain the slot rule until 2002. Other provisions would require the hiring of more air traffic controllers and authorize FAA to ban unruly passengers from flying for as much as one year.

The Senate this month will consider its own version of the legislation.