The Senate voted 87-8 Thursday evening to pass a bill that would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration after reaching an agreement on the contentious issue of allowing more long-distance flights out of Washington's National Airport.

The final vote was preceded by a 96-2 vote Thursday afternoon to cut off debate on the bill, S 223, after a compromise had been reached on the DCA slots issue.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison -- R-Texas and ranking minority member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee -- said groups of senators from different regions had agreed Wednesday night on language for 16 additional roundtrip flights of more than 1,250 miles in and out of National each day. Hutchison said seven of those would be "slot conversions" that existing carriers US Airways and Delta could exchange for new routes. Five roundtrip flights per day would go to other airlines, and four more could follow if a future study shows they can occur without disrupting National's operations. Currently federal law permits only a dozen daily roundtrips from National beyond the 1,250-mile perimeter.

The FAA bill has been on the Senate floor for more than two weeks. Much of the debate time was consumed by amendments unrelated to aviation issues. (see Feb. 4 AASHTO Journal story) The last long-term FAA authorization law expired Sept. 30, 2007, with the latest temporary extension valid until March 31.

Also this week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved its version of an FAA reauthorization bill (HR 658) by a 34-25 vote.