[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 7 (Monday, January 31, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, 
        Ms. Collins, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
        Jeffords, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Pryor, Mr. 
        Levin, and Mr. Specter):
  S. 217. A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to preserve the 
essential air service program; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today with 13 other Senators to 
introduce the bipartisan Essential Air Service Preservation Act of 
2005. I am pleased to have my colleague Senator Snowe as the principal 
cosponsor of the bill. Senator Snowe has been a long-time champion of 
commercial air service in rural areas, and I appreciate her continued 
leadership on this important legislation. Senators Ben Nelson, Collins, 
Rockefeller, Harkin, Grassley, Jeffords, Schumer, Leahy, Clinton, 
Pryor, Levin, and Specter are also cosponsors of the bill.
  Congress established the Essential Air Service Program in 1978 to 
ensure that communities that had commercial air service before airline 
deregulation could continue to receive scheduled service. Without EAS, 
many rural communities would have no commercial air service at all.
  Our bill is very simple. It preserves Congress' intent in the 
Essential Air Service program by repealing a provision in the 2003 FAA 
reauthorization bill that would for the first time require communities 
to pay for their commercial air service. The legislation that imposed 
mandatory cost sharing on communities to retain their commercial air 
service had been stricken from both the House and Senate versions of 
the FAA reauthorization bill, but was reinserted by conferees. I 
believe that any program that forces communities to pay to continue to 
receive their commercial air service could well be the first step in 
the total elimination of scheduled air service for many rural 
communities.
  Two times since mandatory cost sharing was enacted Congress has 
blocked it from being implemented. For fiscal years 2004 and 2005, a 
bipartisan group of senators included language in the Department of 
Transportation's appropriations act that bars the use of funds to 
implement any mandatory cost sharing program. This bill would simply 
make Congress' ongoing ban permanent.
  All across America, small communities face ever-increasing hurdles to 
promoting their economic growth and development. Today, many rural 
areas lack access to interstate or even four-lane highways, railroads 
or broadband telecommunications. Business development in rural areas 
frequently hinges on the availability of scheduled air service. For 
small communities, commercial air service provides a critical link to 
the national and international transportation system.
  The Essential Air Service Program currently ensures commercial air 
service to over 100 communities in thirty-four states. EAS supports an 
additional 33 communities in Alaska. Because of increasing costs and 
the continuing financial turndown in the aviation industry, 
particularly among commuter airlines, about 28 additional communities 
have been forced into the EAS program since the terrorist attacks in 
2001.
  In my State of New Mexico, five cities currently rely on EAS for 
their commercial air service. The communities are Clovis, Hobbs, 
Carlsbad, Alamogordo and my hometown of Silver City. In each case 
commercial service is provided to Albuquerque, the state's business 
center and largest city.
  I believe this ill-conceived proposal requiring cities to pay to 
continue to have commercial air service could not come at a worse time 
for small communities already facing depressed economies and declining 
tax revenues.
  As I understand it, the mandatory cost-sharing requirements in the 
FAA reauthorization bill could affect communities in as many as 22 
states. Based on an analysis by my staff, the individual cities that 
could be affected are as follows:

       Alabama--Muscle Shoals; Arizona--Prescott, Kingman; 
     Arkansas--Hot Springs, Harrison, Jonesboro; Colorado--Pueblo; 
     Georgia--Athens; Iowa--Fort Dodge, Burlington; Kansas--
     Salina; Kentucky--Owensboro; Maine--Augusta, Rockland; 
     Michigan--Iron Mt.; Mississippi Laurel; Missouri--Joplin, Ft. 
     Leonard Wood; New Hampshire--Lebanon; New Mexico--Hobbs, 
     Alamogordo, Clovis; New York--Watertown, Jamestown, 
     Plattsburgh; Oklahoma--Ponca City, Enid; Pennsylvania--
     Johnstown, Oil City, Bradford, Altoona; South Dakota--
     Brookings, Watertown; Tennessee--Jackson; Texas--Victoria; 
     Vermont--Rutland; Washington--Moses Lake

  As I see it, the choice here is clear: If we do not preserve the 
Essential Air Service Program today, we could soon see the end of all 
commercial air service in rural areas. The EAS program provides vital 
resources that help link rural communities to the national and global 
aviation system. Our bill will preserve the essential air service 
program and help ensure that affordable, reliable, and safe air service 
remains available in rural America. Congress is already on record 
opposing mandatory cost sharing. I hope all Senators will once again 
join us in opposing this attack on rural America.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 217

       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 ``Essential Air Service 
     Preservation Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. REPEAL OF EAS LOCAL PARTICIPATION PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 417 of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking section 41747, and 
     such title shall be applied as if such section 41747 had not 
     been enacted.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The chapter analysis at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the item 
     relating to section 41747.
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