By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A proposed bill to fund the U.S. government’s operations through September would cut $2 billion from a COVID-19 program to boost aviation manufacturing and repair businesses.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the bill that transfers $15.6 billion from COVID-19 relief programs into other COVID programmes.

The total amount offered by the U.S. Transportation Department in all three rounds in this $3 billion program is $673 million.

In 2021, the Aviation Manufacturing Payroll Subsidy Program was established to pay up to 50% of qualified companies’ salaries for up six months. Boeing (NYSE 🙂 is one of the largest aerospace companies. General Electric (NYSE/) chose to not participate.

Furloughs must be authorized by employees. Subsidized workers cannot be laid off during a grantee’s furlough.

75.5 Million to Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE;), $20.9 Million for Connecticut-based Hexcel(NYSE:) Corp., $17.5M to BAE Systems/OTC:) Controls, $12.9 Million to Airbus U.S. Arm, $12.9M to Airbus’ U.S. arm, $15M to Learjet, a Bombardier (OTC) Inc., and $12.5M to Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

France’s Safran (PA:), third largest aerospace manufacturer in the world, received $40 million to purchase various U.S. units.

The awards are expected to support the creation of 31,000 American jobs across 43 U.S. states, according to the department.

A company must involuntarily lay off or furlough at least 10% of its workforce or experience a decrease of at least 15% of total operating revenues in 2020 to qualify.