[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 83 (Wednesday, May 25, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3174-S3175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. King):
  S. 2990. A bill to prohibit the President from preventing foreign air 
carriers traveling to or from Cuba from making transit stops in the 
United States for refueling and other technical services based on the 
Cuban Assets Control Regulations; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
and Urban Affairs.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr President, I rise to introduce bipartisan legislation 
with my colleague from Maine, Senator King, to permit foreign air 
carriers traveling to or from Cuba to make non-traffic, transit stops 
in the United States. Enactment of this legislation will create new 
opportunities for U.S. workers and airports.
  For decades U.S. airports, including Bangor International Airport in 
Maine, have lost out on additional revenue because the current travel 
ban on Cuba prevents them from providing transit stop services to 
flights departing from or en route to Cuba.
  During these transit stops, passengers do not disembark the plane and 
no new passengers board the aircraft. Yet, these stops are valuable for 
airports and their employees who can offer fuel, de-icing, catering, 
and crew services. Under the current travel ban, however, foreign air 
carriers are forced to make transit stops in Canada rather than the 
United States, and any potential profit for U.S. airports flies right 
across the border along with the planes.
  The current disparity means that airports like Bangor not only lose 
revenue related to flights to or from Cuba, but also from transit stops 
for European flights to and from many other destinations in North 
America, Central America, and the Caribbean. That is because if foreign 
airlines cannot use Bangor for all of their flights, it is simply 
easier and more efficient for them to refuel at one airport that can 
meet all of their needs.

[[Page S3175]]

  The purpose of economic sanctions was to limit hard currency to 
Cuba--not to harm American workers and cities. Allowing U.S. airports 
to provide these services could support additional jobs for families in 
Maine and other areas throughout the country.
  Allowing such transit stops would also be consistent with existing 
international air transportation agreements. For example, in 2007 the 
U.S. and the EU signed an Air Transport Agreement that granted airlines 
of one party the right to make stops in the territory of the other 
party for non-traffic, transit purposes.
  Likewise, the Chicago Convention, to which there are 191 parties, 
recognizes the right to refuel or carry out maintenance in a foreign 
country, including the United States. The United States should fulfill 
its obligations and permit such transit stops at U.S. airports, no 
matter the destination.
  Our bill would provide American airports and workers the opportunity 
to compete with Canadian airports and would bring the United States 
into compliance with international air travel agreements.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan 
bill.

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