ACT OF SEPTEMBER 7, 1950-(Washington Airports) Chapter 905 of 81st Congress, as amended 64 Stat. 770, as amended ACT OF SEPTEMBER 7, 1950-(Washington Airports) ch905 85–511 Statute Compilation United States House of Representatives Office of the Legislative Counsel text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. GPO Statute Compilations USLM converter, version 20210527.1 2021-10-15 Dulles International Airport Act Second Washington Airport Act 3114 81 1950-09-07 ACT OF SEPTEMBER 7, 1950-(Washington Airports)1 [Chapter 905 of 81st Congress; 64 Stat. 770] [As Amended Through P.L. 85–511, Enacted July 11, 1958] [Currency: This publication is a compilation of the text of Chapter 905 of the 81st Congress. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps/] [Note: While this publication does not represent an official version of any Federal statute, substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The official version of Federal law is found in the United States Statutes at Large and in the United States Code. The legal effect to be given to the Statutes at Large and the United States Code is established by statute (1 U.S.C. 112, 204).]
AN ACTTo authorize the construction, protection, operation, and maintenance of a public airport in or in the vicinity of the District of Columbia.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the Secretary of Transportation (hereinafter referred to as the “Secretary”) is hereby authorized and directed to construct, protect, operate, improve, and maintain within or in the vicinity of the District of Columbia, a public airport (including all buildings and other structures necessary or desirable therefor).1

The airport constructed under this Act, known as Dulles International Airport, was renamed Washington Dulles International Airport by Public Law 98–510.

Sec. 2. For the purpose of carrying out this Act, the Secretary is authorized to acquire, by purchase, lease, condemnation, or otherwise (including transfer with or without compensation from Federal agencies or the District of Columbia, or any State or political subdivision thereof), such lands and interests in lands and appurtenances thereto, including avigation easements or air-space rights, as may be necessary or desirable for the construction, maintenance, improvement, operation, and protection of the airport: Provided further, That before making commitments for the acquisition of land, or the transfer of any lands, the Secretary shall consult and advise with the National Capital Park and Planning Commission as to the conformity of the proposed location with the Commission's comprehensive plan for the National Capital and its environs, and said Commission shall, upon request, submit a report and recommendations thereon within thirty days: Provided further, That the choice of site by the Secretary shall be made only after consultation with the governing body in the county in which the airport is to be located, with respect to the suitability of the site to be selected, and its possible impact on the vicinity.
Sec. 3. For the purposes of this Act, the Secretary is empowered to acquire, by purchase, lease, condemnation, or otherwise (including transfer with or without compensation from Federal agencies or the District of Columbia, or any State or political subdivision thereof), rights-of-way or easements for roads, trails, pipe lines, power lines, railroad spurs, and other similar facilities necessary or desirable for the construction or proper operation of the airport. The Secretary is authorized to construct any streets, highways, or roadways (including bridges) as may be necessary to provide access to the airport from existing streets, highways, or roadways. Upon completion of construction of any street, highway, or roadway within the District of Columbia, such street, highway, or roadway shall be transferred to the District of Columbia without charge, and thereafter shall be maintained by the District of Columbia. Upon construction of any street, highway, or roadway within a State or political subdivision thereof, such street, highway, or roadway may be transferred to such State or political subdivision thereof, without charge, on the condition that such street, highway, or roadway thereafter be maintained as a public street, highway, or roadway by such State or political subdivision thereof.
Sec. 4. The Secretary shall have control over and responsibility for the care, operation, maintenance, improvement, and protection of the airport, together with the power to make and amend such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary to the proper exercise thereof: Provided, That the authority herein contained may be delegated by the Secretary to such official or officials of the Department of Transportation as the Secretary may designate.
Sec. 5. The Secretary is empowered to lease under such conditions as he may deem proper and for such periods as may be desirable space or property within or upon the airport for purposes essential or appropriate to the operation of the airport: Provided, That no lease for the use of any hanger or space therein shall extend for a period exceeding three years.
Sec. 6. The Secretary is authorized to contract with any person for the furnishing of supplies or performance of services at or upon the airport necessary or desirable for the proper operation of the airport, including but not limited to, contracts for furnishing food and lodging, sale of aviation fuels, furnishing of aircraft repairs and other aeronautical services, and such other services and supplies as may be necessary or desirable for the traveling public. No such contract, not including contracts involving the construction of permanent buildings or facilities, shall extend for a period of longer than five years, except the restaurant. The provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes shall not apply to contracts authorized under this section, to leases authorized under section 5 hereof, or to contracts for architectural or engineering services necessary for the design and planning of the airport.
Sec. 7. Any executive department, independent establishment, or agency of the Federal Government or the District of Columbia, for the purposes of carrying out this Act, is authorized to transfer to the Secretary, without compensation, upon his request, any lands, interests in lands (including avigation easements or air-space rights), buildings, property, or equipment under its control and in excess of its own requirements, which the Secretary may consider necessary or desirable for the construction, care, operation, maintenance, improvement, or protection of the airport.
Sec. 8. (a) The Secretary, and any Department of Transportation employee appointed to protect life and property on the airport, when designated by the Secretary, is hereby authorized and empowered (1) to arrest under a warrant within the limits of the airport any person accused of having committed within the boundaries of the airport any offense against the laws of the United States, or against any rule or regulation prescribed pursuant to this Act; (2) to arrest without warrant any person committing any such offense within the limits of the airport, in his presence; or (3) to arrest without warrant within the limits of the airport any person whom he has reasonable grounds to believe has committed a felony within the limits of the airport. (b) Any individual having the power of arrest as provided in subsection (a) of this section may carry firearms or other weapons as the Secretary may direct or by regulation may prescribe. (c) The United States Park Police may, at the request of the Secretary, be assigned by the Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, to patrol any area of the airport, and any members of the United States Park Police so assigned are hereby authorized and empowered to make arrests within the limits of the airport for the same offenses and in the same manner and circumstances as are provided in this section with respect to employees designated by the Secretary. (d) The officer on duty in command of those employees designated by the Secretary as provided in subsection (a) of this section may accept deposit of collateral from any person charged with the violation of any rule or regulation prescribed under this Act, for appearance in court or before the appropriate United States magistrate judge; and such collateral shall be deposited with such United States magistrate judge.
Sec. 9. The Secretary may enter into agreements with the State, or any political subdivision thereof, in which the airport or any portion thereof is situated, for such State or municipal services as the Secretary shall deem necessary to the proper and efficient operation and protection of the airport, and he may, from time to time, agree to modifications in any such agreement: Provided, however, That where the charge for any such service is established by the laws of the State, the Secretary may not pay for such service in excess of the charge so established.
Sec. 10. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any rule, regulation, or order issued by the Secretary under this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and imprisonment.
Sec. 11. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions of the words and phrases used in this Act shall be the definitions assigned to such words and phrases by the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, as amended.
Sec. 12. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sum as may be necessary for the construction of the airport authorized by this Act, and such sum shall remain available until expended. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such other sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.