AIA calls on Congress to pass an omnibus appropriations bill in early December that would avoid the specter of a year-long continuing resolution. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 provides badly-needed funds and a measure of stability across all government agencies for the next two years. Congress should follow the dictates of the budget deal they negotiated less than two months ago and pass a full-year appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016.
A full year continuing resolution – or one that delays decisions into 2016 – could lock in 2015 funding levels and prevent agencies from executing contracts on new programs. It would inject uncertainty into the budgeting process and prevent both government and industry from making plans and investments to support our longer-term national security and economic objectives.
Military leaders have been sounding the alarm this year about the increasingly chaotic situation in the Middle East and emboldened military actions by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Non-defense agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, NOAA, and the U. S. Coast Guard are critical for our nation’s public safety, economy, and global stature in science, exploration and aerospace technology. The responsible course of action is for Congress to follow through on the commitment made in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and pass a full appropriation.
