Washington, D.C
Utah’s Burgess Owens hopes bringing more flights to DC will lower costs for consumers
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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Rep. Burgess Owens has reached a compromise on his amendment to a funding bill that would allow seven additional flights to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
Although it’s fewer than the 28 new flights he initially proposed, the Republican touted the proposal as something that would give Americans more access to the nation’s capital and decrease the costs of air travel to get there.
The amendment to HR3935, which addresses funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, is “simple. It adds an additional seven round trip flights from Ronald Reagan National Airport,” Owens told the House Committee on Rules Monday evening.
“That equates to one route for each airline currently operating out of DCA. Not 28 routes, as was originally requested. Not 14, which was a reasonable compromise, but seven,” he continued. “Every American should have the opportunity to visit their nation’s capital and witness their government in action.”
The number of flights allowed to fly to Reagan National and the distance they can travel is limited, thanks to a rule dating back to the 1960s. Limits apply to flights coming from more than 1,250 miles away, making travel to and from much of the Western U.S. more expensive and difficult.
But some members of Congress from around D.C. aren’t sold on the plan, saying it could bring more traffic and could hurt safety in the area, according to the Washington Post.
“Congress gave up the micromanaging of these airports nearly 40 years ago for a reason, because they didn’t do a good job. So, Congress shouldn’t get back into the micromanaging game,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told the Post.
Both Reagan National and Washington Dulles International Airport are run by an independent airport authority, but are the only two U.S. airports owned by the federal government, giving Congress power to make decisions about them.
Owens held a press conference Tuesday morning in Washington to urge support for the compromise, along with other amendment proponents including Reps. Earl Carter, R-Ga., Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, and Chip Roy, R-Texas.
Escobar, who represents parts of El Paso, said her local airport is 600 miles away from the closest direct flight to Washington, making it hard for staffers, federal employees and constituents to access the capital.
“That is unacceptable, it has been unacceptable to my constituents and to all of those who work for the federal government on our behalf, and this bill would offer significant financial relief,” she said, thanking Owens for working toward a compromise that would bring some level of relief.
Where the new flights would fly to and from would be up to the airlines, but Owens said he hoped one of them would go through Salt Lake City.
“They’ll take a look at what’s best for them. … I think the key though, is once competition gets in there, it should impact an entire country of people who may be able to come, for instance, to Salt Lake City,” he said. “I’m hoping that we get a place there.”
He said legislators have “sheltered” Reagan National from the benefits of the free market for decades, hurting consumers in the process.
The rest of Utah’s congressional delegation expressed their support for Owens’ amendment last month, though it’s still unclear if it will be able to clear both chambers of Congress. The FAA bill could come up for a vote in the House later this week.