Today on the Hill: FAA Debate; Wisconsin Primary

The Senate well spend the day debating whether to move forward on legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  Yesterday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed for cloture on a motion to proceed to a House-passed tax bill (H.R.636) that would serve as a vehicle for a measure reauthorizing the FAA through Sept. 30, 2017. Using the tax bill as the shell would ease the way for Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to offer a floor amendment that would extend Airport and Airway Trust Fund excise taxes that finance aviation system improvements. The FAA bill approved by the Senate Commerce Committee didn’t include the tax provisions, which would normally be marked up by the Finance Committee.  Last week, President Obama signed into law a temporary extension, through July 15, of the FAA’s operating and revenue-collection authority.

On the campaign trail, Wisconsin’s presidential primaries today will give two senators still in the race – Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) – a chance to score victories against their party’s frontrunners. Polls show Sen. Cruz ahead of Donald Trump and Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) in tomorrow’s Republican primary and Sen. Sanders maintaining a narrow lead over Hillary Clinton among Wisconsin Democrats.
 
‘Today on the Hill’ includes updates provided by the House and Senate majority leaders, as well information derived from publications including Bloomberg Government, The Hill, CQ HealthBeat, Inside Health Policy, Kaiser Health News, Modern Healthcare, and Morning Consult.