[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H1048-H1049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AT DULLES AND NATIONAL AIRPORTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have just come from a markup where a 
unanimous vote was taken for an historic breakthrough similar to what 
this body achieved last year with the highway trust fund monies.
  We voted H.R. 1000 in the House Subcommittee on Aviation of the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to allow the gasoline 
taxes to go for what the taxpayers intended them for, and that is to 
pay for infrastructure improvements in our airports. We hope to break a 
stalemate that developed last year.
  My interest is very special, because the National Capital region, 
through which most Members travel, has been the subject of a special 
spotlight. The trust fund will undoubtedly do for other airports what 
it will do for National and for Dulles. For example, to triple the 
amounts that would be forthcoming for these two airports, if this bill 
passes.

                              {time}  1445

  I do not need to remind Members that 25 million people come through 
these airports, many of them your own constituents, so you have surely 
the same kind of concern and interest I do, that these funds be 
released.
  Some of my colleagues may wonder why the new terminal is completed 
but the historic old terminal is as it was, and that is because our 
funds have been held up quite apart from the reauthorization but 
because National and Dulles have been caught in the slot and perimeter 
controversy; that is to say, in the controversy over how many takeoffs 
and landings will be there. Republican and Democrat, Maryland, Virginia 
and the District, we have stood side by side saying no more slots at 
National, no more slots, because despite economic benefits for the 
District which I would ordinarily be for, there are such significant 
safety hazards, insufferable noise and increased ground and air 
pollution that it made no sense to crowd overcrowded National. At the 
same time we would seriously hurt

[[Page H1049]]

Dulles Airport which, instead of having its competitive advantage 
increased, would lose millions of dollars' worth of business.
  In our subcommittee, we reached a reasonable accommodation with the 
addition of only six slots, and those going at only two per hour for 
underserved airports with no increase in the perimeter, that is, the 
number of miles from Washington that can be traveled, so there will not 
be increased noise in our neighborhoods. Remember, we are talking about 
an airport that is essentially located in downtown Washington.
  We have also succeeded in getting $200 million released that was held 
up irrationally because in 1996 a link between getting nominations to 
the Metropolitan Airport Authority and the release of this money 
appeared in a bill. Our subcommittee delinks this so that when Members 
go to National Airport, they in fact will see the whole airport being 
renovated. We are to the point where if we do not proceed, the burden 
will be very great and we simply cannot wait much longer.
  The other body has a provision in its reauthorization of the FAA, 
that is what is here, H.R. 2000, they have in S. 82, the companion 
bill, an additional 48 slots. I just want to say to this body here and 
now that the one thing National cannot accept is 48 new slots. That is 
unacceptable special interest legislation. It is this body that some 
years ago instituted a slot rule because National is one of the most 
dangerous airports in the country to fly into. It is greatly 
overcrowded. We hope that we can reach out in accommodation with the 
other body.
  This is an airport for the world and for the country. In its wisdom, 
this body gave oversight of this airport to a metropolitan regional 
authority a few years ago. That authority has done a spectacular job. 
You can see it with your own eyes in the additions that are being made 
at Dulles, with the renovation of National Airport. Nevertheless, it is 
not a state of the art airport. It can never be a state of the art 
airport. We can make it more comfortable for people coming in. We must 
not overcrowd the air and make an airport that is now safe only because 
of a restriction on the number of slots unsafe because without thinking 
through this issue we have bowed to the Senate. I am sure that when we 
get into conference we can reach the kind of accommodation that all can 
live with.
  To the Members I say, welcome to National Airport, welcome to Dulles 
Airport. Let us pass H.R. 1000 and get them both finished and safe.

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