SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVES AVIATION INFRASTRUCTURE BILL

The US Senate Finance Committee has unanimously approved a bill to renew $11 billion in annual funding for US aviation infrastructure. The legislation could pass into law this month, and would fund the Federal Aviation Administration framework to install a satellite-based air-traffic control system, and finance airport construction.

The aviation trust fund lapsed in 2007 and has been kept going through a series of short-term extensions since then.

An amendment to allow the use of tax-exempt bonds to finance certain fixed-wing emergency medical aircraft was also approved. The bill also includes other measures covering safety, environment and air traffic control modernisation issues.