The FAA bill to keep airports open expires in just TWO days as lawmakers scramble to strike a deal while encouraging ‘pet projects’ including adding pro-Palestinian protesters to the no-fly list

A bill expanding the powers of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expires Friday, but lawmakers are still trying to work their pet projects into legislation.

The FAA bill ends Friday evening at midnight. But the House stepped in on Wednesday and approved a one-week extension, leaving the rest to the Senate.

But if a short-term extension is not approved by the Senate on Friday, airports across the country would come to a standstill as funding for air traffic controllers and other crucial aviation positions could run out.

Complicating matters further, the FAA reauthorization is one of the last bills Congress must consider this year.

As a result, Democrats and Republicans are trying to make amendments to the already thousand-page bill to secure funding for their personal “asset projects.”

Their proposals include: banning drones from flying over NFL and MLB games, adding pro-Palestinian protesters to the ‘no fly’ list, increasing the number of flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and reintroducing whole milk to public school lunch menus.

A measure in the current FAA package would add additional long-haul flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

As Congress’s window to pass an FAA measure draws to a close, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House of Representatives has approved a short, one-week deadline extension to give members more time to reach an agreement come.

“As far as the timeline, how to get it done, it will buy some time if the House clearly sends us that (bill) to get it done next week,” Senate Minority Whip Jon Thune, R-S.D., told reporters.

“It just gives us some breathing room,” he said.

Still, some in the Senate GOP conference have issues with some of the amendments, which could spell trouble for the bill even if extended.

“Clearly we have some concerns on our side that are unlikely to go away,” Thune said.

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-Y, is still hopeful the FAA reauthorization can pass before Friday’s deadline.

“We are working very hard to get it done in the Senate this week and we hope to do that,” he said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

And lawmakers are confident the FAA authorization won’t lapse, which would cripple airports across the country.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday he hopes the Senate bill passes before Friday’s deadline.

If the full Senate bill to reauthorize the FAA or a one-week extension does not pass, travelers will experience major flight delays and cancellations

“Well, it will be done this week or there will be a temporary extension,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told DailyMail.com. “One way or the other, we’re not closing the airports.”

When pressed about the vast number of amendments still being tabled for the bill, Blumenthal admitted this was one of the last chances to get legislation passed before the November elections.

“There are very few bill passing vehicles (remaining), so people are trying to bring their bills under the FAA measure,” he said.

“And so I fully understand that many of the unrelated or irrelevant amendments will simply be rejected for that reason.”

One of the non-aviation proposals would eliminate tariffs on certain types of titanium sponge imports.

Another would approve an internet access program that provides services to rural and low-income communities.

However, there are also numerous flight-related provisions.

One proposal would raise the retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67, as the industry faces an aging workforce and a shortage of pilots.

Another amendment, which has caused controversy between Republicans and Democrats, would allow travelers to automatically get refunds if their flights are canceled.

That measure is in line with a Department of Transportation rule announced in April, but Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the top Republican on the committee responsible for the FAA bill, said the automatic refund of canceled flight is not necessary. because travelers often choose to immediately rebook with the same airline.

“If you’re flying somewhere and your flight is canceled, most consumers don’t want a refund,” Cruz told reporters on Wednesday.

“It wouldn’t do consumers any good to say that if a flight is canceled they will automatically refund your money, even if you don’t want that and you would rather be rebooked.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said the FAA bill would include language allowing refunds for canceled flights

He said he still supports refunds in the event of canceled flights and that there are still provisions in the bill to ensure consumers are compensated, but this would not happen automatically.