Not so fast on FAA taxes
By Bernie Becker, Politico.
SO ABOUT THOSE EXTENDERS: Looks like we will still have a tax vehicle this year after all.
As our Pro Transportation colleagues Heather Caygle and Lauren Gardner reported, the Senate brushed aside the House’s plan to push FAA taxes until next March and synced the tax deadline back up with aviation policy — putting a deadline for both on July 15.
A spokeswoman for House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady said he would support the Senate proposal, essentially because he didn’t have any choice. The Senate passed its extension right before leaving for a two-week break, and won’t be back until after FAA authority expires on March 31. “While we believe a longer-term extension is in the best interests of American travelers, it’s clear that this is the only legislative option on the table since the Senate will be out of session until after the expiration of these programs,” the spokeswoman said.
If you’ll recall, part of the attraction for Brady to push the FAA taxes into next year is that advocates wouldn’t have a must-pass tax bill for attaching stray tax extenders — as for renewable energy — that expire at the end of this year. Lawmakers have made a habit of restoring those incentives after they expire, but Brady had made it clear that he doesn’t want to deal with them this year.