[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 92 (Thursday, June 28, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S7105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mrs. Carnahan, and Mr. Bond):
  S. 1133. A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to preserve 
nonstop air service to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National 
Airport for certain communities in case of airline bankruptcy; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, last week the Bush Administration 
eliminated the only nonstop air service between Los Angeles 
International Airport, LAX, and National Airport, DCA, in Washington, 
DC. The elimination of the flight makes Los Angeles the largest U.S. 
city without nonstop air service to this vital airport in the Nation's 
capital.
  Since the DCA to lax flight began 10 months ago, 45,000 passengers 
have taken the flight. Not only is it popular, but many small and mid-
sized communities throughout the state, including Bakersfield, Fresno, 
Monterey, and San Luis Obispo, rely on this flight. They have 
connecting flights into LAX specifically designed so that passengers 
can take the LAX-DCA nonstop flight. These communities will suffer 
because of this decision.
  This happened because TWA, which operated the flight, went bankrupt. 
Even though American Airlines purchased the assets of TWA and was 
willing to continue the flight, the Administration gave the LAX slot at 
National Airport to another city.
  This was an unfortunate decision, and one that was both unnecessary 
and unjustified. Therefore, today, I am introducing legislation to 
reinstate the service. It is narrowly crafted to address the unique 
situation we have here.
  My bill only applies in cases where a community loses service to DCA 
because the airline operating the flight went bankrupt. In those cases, 
the air carrier that purchases the assets of the bankrupt airlines has 
a right to continue the nonstop service. In exchange, however, the air 
carrier must give up one of its several slots that it uses to fly to 
its hub airport.
  In this way, my bill would not create any additional flights to 
National Airport. Nor would it take away any of the long-distance 
nonstop flights now in operation, including to the city that just 
received the slot originally granted to Los Angeles. But, it would 
allow the very popular nonstop air service between LAX and DCA to 
continue.
  It seems to me that this is a fair compromise to ensure that service 
between National Airport and Los Angeles continues. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to address this problem before the end of 
the summer.
                                 ______