Senate convenes, more discussion of FAA amendments expected

But both Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said yesterday that they would only focus on amendments related to the FAA. This means several amendments, including some related to healthcare legislation, are not expected to be taken up.

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) introduced an amendment yesterday that would appear to be unrelated. It would require an accounting of federal revenue lost due to the Obama administration’s oil-and-gas drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico.

But several others are FAA-related, including one from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that would require a plan to accelerate the use of unmanned aerial systems. Another from Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) would make it easier for airline employees to make contributions to their retirement accounts.