Grumble

For those of you always bagging ALPA, this is potentially a huge win for all of us. It just needs to get through the Senate.

U.S. Lawmakers Move to Block Norwegian Air Expansion Plan - WSJ

"The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday passed an amendment to the proposed Department of Transportation budget request intended to block Norwegian's application."

EWRflyr

To be clear, the amendment has been added to a funding appropriations bill which must first pass the House, then pass the Senate OR survive as part of the Conference Committee compromise, then be signed by the president OR override the veto if one happens.

This is just a small step and we need to keep the pressure on.

Support the PAC!

tsquare

Can we merge all these threads?

The Juice

I think many on here need a refresher on Schoolhouse Rock's "Im just a bill."

An amendment added to an unresolved House resolution....we have a long way to go...

Grumble

While true, it's attached to the DOT funding and the amendment was passed unanimously. You think DOT is going to slug it out over NAIs application when their bankroll is on the line?

Sniper

A unanimous voice vote isn't the same thing as a 435-0 vote.

NAI will, as will Boeing (Illinois, South Carolina, Washington, Missouri, and Kansas all are home to major Boeing sub-assemblies). They're spending a TON of $ on this - just look at how many 'pro-NAI' editorials have been published. Setting up (greasing palms) those shell-companies in Ireland wasn't cheap either.

The Juice

It passed unanimously with a "voice vote" as are the majority of amendments added on to a bill. It's how everyone can add their bits and pieces to a bill. 44 amendments were added to this bill, 11 by unanimous vote. House Amendment 807 (NAI amendment) was one of the 44 to be added to 4745

I don't think the DOT cares about the amendment at all because they want their money for 2015. 4745 has many things in it, and House Amendment could be removed at any time during the process. So no, the DOT won't fight it, as it is not their fight to begin with, it's NAI and their lobbyists

I applaud ALPAs effort in this fight, and support it 100%. I however felt their FastRead was a bit "murky" on the details on what actually happened in the House, evident with all of the postings about "NAI being dead"

I hope it continues to gain support to defeat NAIs application. However much can still happen between passing the House, Senate, conference committee, and Obama. Who knows what NAI might spend to lobby to get that amendment tossed out in conference? It would be chopped out in a second with a back room deal and all is for nothing. I hope it doesn't happen, but this is Congress we are talking about.

As a side, some interesting parts of HR 4745. These are the "laws" our elected officials are working on:

(Sec. 152) Bars the use of funds for Amtrak to pay overtime costs in excess of $35,000 for any Amtrak employee.

(Sec. 115) Prohibits the obligation of funds for an FAA employee to purchase a store gift card or gift certificate through use of a government-issued credit card.

...and my favorite...

(Sec. 413) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act for first-class airline accommodations in contravention of specified federal regulations.

Grumble

You'd be amazed what people have used their govt charge card for... Cars, hookers, etc. I can't believe they're just now putting that down.

As for amtrak, should've been allowed to die decades ago.

gloopy

So, if passed, it would outlaw the already illegal purchase of illegal first class tickets in cases where current law makes it already illegal.

Unless they violate that too, in which case we can pass another law to uphold the already existing law...

Beaver Hunter

We have to vote them all out.