[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1425 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1425

To give effect to the original agreement entered into by the cities of 
  Dallas, Texas, and Fort Worth, Texas, to build a single airport to 
provide for the commercial air transportation needs of the region, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 19, 2005

Mr. Inhofe (for himself and Mr. Harkin) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To give effect to the original agreement entered into by the cities of 
  Dallas, Texas, and Fort Worth, Texas, to build a single airport to 
provide for the commercial air transportation needs of the region, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``True Competition Act''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that:
            (1) The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was 
        constructed in 1974 to serve as the exclusive airport providing 
        all commercial air service needs of the Dallas/ Fort Worth 
        Metroplex.
            (2) At the explicit direction of the United States Civil 
        Aeronautics Board, before obtaining financing or beginning 
        construction, the Cities of Dallas and Fort Worth agreed to 
        consolidate all commercial air service from all local airports 
        at the new Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport facility.
            (3) The consolidation of all commercial air service at one 
        major airport is consistent with practices in numerous 
        metropolitan areas throughout the country, and is considered to 
        be sound transportation policy and a major factor in generating 
        economic growth for entire regions.
            (4) Despite the original agreement between Dallas and Fort 
        Worth, which was absolutely essential to proceed with 
        construction of the new airport, judicial and legislative 
        challenges by an airline that refused to move to the new 
        facility undercut the local consensus by permitting limited 
        operations from the close-in Dallas Love Field to continue for 
        the past 25 years.
            (5) Relying on the continued limited scope of Love Field, 
        the communities recently embarked on a major $2,800,000,000 
        expansion of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport which 
        has reached completion.
            (6) The current dire economics of the airline and airport 
        businesses have put a severe strain on the finances and 
        viability of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and 
        the carriers serving it, resulting in substantial unused 
        capacity and financial pressure that is exacerbated by the 
        continued use of Dallas Love Field.
            (7) In contrast, there are virtually no capacity or 
        facilities available at Love Field except for those controlled 
        by one carrier that operates over 97 percent of all the seats 
        in and out of the airport.
            (8) In addition to economic, competitive, and 
        transportation planning problems, air traffic control experts 
        have expressed concern about air space congestion generated by 
        the close proximity of Love Field to the Dallas/Fort Worth 
        International Airport.
            (9) Although not intended to be used for commercial air 
        service, Love Field remains an important resource for general 
        aviation and business aircraft, which provide an important 
        economic benefit to the Dallas/Fort Worth region.
            (10) In order to reduce air congestion problems, create a 
        more efficient and viable air transportation system, and give 
        full effect to the original agreement between the Cities of 
        Dallas and Fort Worth, scheduled commercial air service at Love 
        Field should be ended and the facilities made more broadly 
        available to general aviation and business aircraft.

SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF SCHEDULED PASSENGER AIR SERVICE AT LOVE FIELD.

    Effective on the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, Love 
Field, located in Dallas, Texas, shall be ineligible to hold an airport 
operating certificate pursuant to part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations.
                                 <all>