The National Air Traffic Controllers Association supports the exploration of the following concepts:

a. Creating a sustainable financial future. It is critical to establish a funding system that provides
dedicated and sufficient revenues to pay for obligations.
b. Separating the operations and support functions from the regulatory functions of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Potential areas of exploration could include the creation of two separate government agencies or the formation of a quasi-governmental corporation
c. b. Reforming existing statutes, regulations, and policies.
d. c. Reviewing the current mix of Airport and Airway Trust Fund taxes and fees and considering alternative sources that provide sufficient funding for services such as air traffic control and aircraft certification.

Ensuring the safety of the National Airspace System should be in the forefront of any initiatives to reform FAA funding streams and governance. Any support by NATCA must ensure the following:

a. NATCA, as a stakeholder, must be included throughout the process, from inception to implementation. Further, any effort must be supported by NATCA’s National Executive Board.
b. Retention of Union recognition, representational status, and continuation of collective bargaining rights. This is achieved through the retention of 5 United States Code Chapter 71, however other similar legal frameworks may be considered.
c. Protection of membership pay and benefits including, but not limited to, retirement and health care.
d. NATCA must be included as a voting member of any governing board or body.
e. d. Indemnification for employees from individual tort liability for acts within the scope of employment

Rationale: This outdated language was added almost a decade ago because of H.R. 4441, the AIRR Bill, which was a complete failure in Congress. It was known early on this bill had little or no chance of becoming law, yet there was pressure from NATCA National at the time to include this language in our Constitution. Since then, both sides of the aisle have controlled all of Congress and the White House, Government shutdowns/threats of shutdowns as well as debt ceiling disputes in Congress have all come and gone, and this language has never helped. Regardless of which party controls Congress, there is little to no support in removing Air Traffic Control from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As such, this language should be removed. NATCA should strive in aiding and supporting bipartisan legislation in Congress, that does not include privatization, making passage of a bill more likely. Doing so will help achieve, not hinder, a stable and predictable funding stream.
Other countries in privatized systems have had funding issues, most recently due to monetary shortfalls from Covid-19.In America, we have seen terrible privatized systems including the United States Postal Service and Flight Service. NATCA should avoid being open to privatization.

This was not voted on