Over on Capitol Hill , where Democrats narrowly control the U . S . Senate and the U . S . House of Representatives , lawmakers remain equally focused on COVID relief and are debating a $ 1.9T relief package .
Many Republicans feel this package may be too large . However , Democrats believe they have the votes and a mandate for action , and are expected to pass their plan . With the global aviation and travel industries among the hardest hit by the pandemic , Boeing worked extensively across the aerospace industry — with airlines , other aerospace manufacturers , and university researchers to enhance health safeguards throughout the travel journey . This included developing new solutions to reduce the risk of transmission and ensure passengers can enjoy a safe travel experience when they are ready to fly again . Boeing , Airbus and the Department of Defense ( DOD ) Transportation Command all independently reached the same conclusion after extensive research : the risk of COVID transmission on an airplane is extremely remote due to the airflow and filters in the cabin , cleaning procedures implemented by the airlines , and the use of personal protective equipment , such as masks .
Defense Budget
Due to the pressing policy challenges noted above and the traditional reviews undertaken by any new administration , President Biden is not expected to release his Fiscal Year 2022 budget proposal until late spring , months later than usual . During the 2020 campaign , then-candidate Biden said he did not anticipate major cuts to defense spending , and it is possible certain accounts aimed at new technology could be increased .
The White House in North Portico
While there has been speculation that a Democratically-controlled Washington may look to decrease defense spending , only 93 House Democrats supported attempts to cut the Department of Defense budget by 10 percent last summer . As a result , the DOD budget for FY2022 is expected to be “ flat ” and will likely hover around recently appropriated amounts , in the range of $ 720 billion to $ 740 billion .
Export-Import Bank
The U . S . Export-Import ( EXIM ) Bank is a vital federal agency that finances the export of goods made in America . While companies of all sizes rely on EXIM , the majority of the bank ’ s transactions actually support small businesses that can ’ t access the same commercial financing options as larger competitors . In 2019 , Congress reauthorized its charter for seven years – the longest reauthorization in EXIM ’ s 87-year history . While this provides American companies with some level of stability for accessing international markets , new EXIM Bank board members still must be nominated and confirmed by the U . S . Senate due to current members ’ terms expiring . The Export-Import Bank is instrumental to our industry ’ s success and we will continue to advocate for the health of the bank .
To learn more about how public policy impacts the aerospace industry and ways to get involved , please visit Watch U . S . Fly at http :// www . watchusfly . com
To learn more about Boeing ’ s Confident Travel Initiative please visit http :// www . boeing . com / confident-travel
Learn more at : www . watchusfly . com
APRIL | MAY 2021 ISSUE NO . 20 19