House lawmakers are proposing yet another short-term extension of the FAA’s operating authority, as time runs out for lawmakers to negotiate a long-term reauthorization bill.

The House Ways and Means Committee introduced an FAA extension provision late on June 28, which is expected to be approved either later today or on June 30. It would then be sent to the Senate. The extension is for one month through Aug. 1, and would provide funding and expenditure authority for the aviation trust fund, as well as other programs.

The current three-month extension expires July 3, so House and Senate staff have been working to try and reconcile their respective versions of the long-term FAA reauthorization bill by this deadline. But even if they do strike a compromise deal, there would not be enough time for it to be approved by the full House and Senate.

While most of the bill has been ironed out, differences remain on five or six major issues. Among these is a contentious clause in the House bill that would change labor representation rules for FedEx ground workers.

However, House aviation leaders are confident that they are close to agreement with the Senate, and will find a way to resolve the outstanding disputes this week, industry sources say. This would open the way for House and Senate votes sometime in July, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has apparently promised floor time for this purpose.

Meanwhile, Airports Council International-North America wrote to congressional leaders on June 28 urging them to pass a long-term FAA reauthorization bill “as soon as practicable.” ACI-NA President Greg Principato stresses that “without action immediately, the House and Senate will be forced to approve the 14th extension” of the last full FAA authorization that was passed seven years ago. The letter was sent to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.).

Principato also reiterated the importance to the airport industry of a House clause that would increase the passenger facility charge (PFC) cap to $7, compared with the current level of $4.50. There is no such clause in the Senate bill, and this is one of the handful of issues still to be negotiated.

Senators opposed to the FedEx clause claim they have enough support to block the FAA bill if it contains this language. A House Transportation Committee spokesman says Oberstar will not be deterred by the threat of filibuster in the Senate, although he stresses that the process is a negotiation, “and this assumes movement by one side or the other” on the disputed issues. There is still a strong possibility that the Senate will hold a test vote on the FedEx provision, which should determine whether or not it would stay in the final bill.