NBAA Hails Latest Action By U.S. House Directing DHS To Reopen Reagan National Airport To General Aviation

Contact: Dan Hubbard at (202) 783-9360 or dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, May 4, 2005 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today applauded a move by Congress to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reopen Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to general aviation within 90 days of enactment of the DHS appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2006.

In Committee action today, the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Hal Rogers (R-5-KY), approved language requiring the DHS action on Reagan National Airport in an FY06 homeland security funding bill.

“NBAA thanks the Members of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, who have demonstrated by their actions today an understanding that the prolonged closure of DCA to general aviation has taken a national and regional economic toll,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Leaders in Congress clearly believe that we can have effective security measures and economic activity at Reagan National Airport, and we are pleased that they once again delivered that message today.”

Today’s move by the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee is the latest in a series of Congressional actions aimed at reopening Reagan National Airport to general aviation.

Last week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously adopted H.R. 1496, which requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement a plan to re-introduce general aviation traffic at Reagan National Airport. As reported out of the Committee, the legislation directs DOT and FAA to return general aviation to DCA within 60 days after the bill becomes law.

Also last week, the House Homeland Security Committee included language to reopen DCA to general aviation in a pending Homeland Security authorization bill. The amendment calls upon DHS to implement requirements first mandated in the “Vision 100 – Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act,” permitting general aviation aircraft to operate at DCA, and requiring DHS to re-admit general aviation into DCA no later than 180 days after passage of the Homeland Security authorization bill.

Earlier this year, Sen. George Allen (R-VA) and Reps. Tom Davis (R-11-VA), Jim Moran (D-8-VA) and Del. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC) also introduced legislative proposals requiring DHS and DOT to re-open Reagan National Airport to general aviation aircraft operators.

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Founded in 1947, NBAA serves more than 7,000 Member Companies by promoting the aviation interests of organizations utilizing business aircraft in the United States and worldwide. The association provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.