2 Bills in 1 Day: Woodall Baseline Reform Bill and FAA Amendment Pass the House

Press Release

Two pieces of legislation introduced by Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA) passed the House on Friday. One, H.R. 3578, the Baseline Reform Act, will now go to the Senate for consideration. The other was an amendment included in the long-awaited FAA reauthorization that focused on eliminating misguided FAA regulations. The FAA reauthorization, with Woodall's amendment, passed the House by a vote of 248 - 169.

"These are two great bills for the Seventh District and for America," Woodall said. "This is the kind of success we can see when folks set aside party lines, roll up their sleeves, and get to work on the people's business. If you don't care who gets the credit, it's amazing what Congress can accomplish. I am so proud to be a part of this effort."

Woodall's budget reform bill, H.R. 3578, known as the "Baseline Reform Act," passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 235 -- 177. The Baseline Reform Act requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to eliminate "automatic inflators" in federal discretionary spending when determining the budget.

"The passage of the Baseline Reform Act is a step in the right direction toward fundamental budget reform, and I hope that the Senate moves quickly to pass it and put it on the President's desk for signature," Woodall said.

He continued, "Americans balance their budgets based on how much money they actually have, not using "automatic future increases.' It is time for Congress to do the same. The Baseline Reform Act ensures that all future "cuts' to spending will be true "cuts'--not merely reductions in rates of increase."

The Baseline Reform Act is being considered as part of a multi-bill Budget Process Reform package coming out of the House Budget Committee.

"The Baseline Reform Act is a step toward ending Washington, D.C., doublespeak. We need to approach our budget issues head-on, and determine our nation's spending practices in a straightforward, realistic manner," Woodall said.

"Our budget challenges are too serious to cloak in darkness and confusion. That pattern ends today," Woodall said.

In addition to passing the Baseline Reform Act through the House, Congress sent its first FAA reauthorization in five years to the Senate on Friday. The long-awaited FAA reauthorization included an amendment, introduced by Congressman Woodall, which eliminated misguided regulatory restrictions on medical charter flights and air ambulances.

"My amendment forces the FAA to provide greater review and transparency to the public and the aviation communities," Woodall said.

He continued, "The air ambulance and medical transport industry is absolutely vital to organ transplants, among other medical services. Eliminating burdensome regulations on pilot flight and duty times in this industry is literally lifesaving."

The final FAA reauthorization establishes FAA funding through FY 2015, cuts wasteful subsidies, and makes reforms to union election proceedings to make them fairer and more transparent.

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