[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 76 (Thursday, May 2, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1979. Mr. LEE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 1911 submitted by Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Cruz, Ms. 
Duckworth, and Mr. Moran) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 
3935, to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize and improve 
the Federal Aviation Administration and other civil aviation programs, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       Strike section 502, and insert the following:

     SEC. 502. ADDITIONAL WITHIN AND BEYOND PERIMETER SLOT 
                   EXEMPTIONS AT RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL 
                   AIRPORT.

       (a) Increase in Number of Slot Exemptions.--Section 41718 
     of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new subsection:
       ``(i) Additional Slot Exemptions.--
       ``(1) Increase in slot exemptions.--Not later than 90 days 
     after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary 
     shall grant, by order, 56 exemptions from--
       ``(A) the application of sections 49104(a)(5), 49109, and 
     41714 to air carriers to operate limited frequencies and 
     aircraft on routes between Ronald Reagan Washington National 
     Airport and airports located within or beyond the perimeter 
     described in section 49109; and
       ``(B) the requirements of subparts K, S, and T of part 93, 
     Code of Federal Regulations.
       ``(2) Incremental dca slot allocations.--
       ``(A) In general.--Of the slot exemptions made available 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make 40 available to 
     incumbent air carriers qualifying for status as a non-limited 
     incumbent carrier and 16 available to incumbent carriers 
     qualifying for status as a limited incumbent carrier at 
     Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as of the date of 
     enactment of this subsection.
       ``(B) Air carrier requirements.--An air carrier granted a 
     slot exemption made available under paragraph (1)--
       ``(i) may operate up to a maximum of 8 of the newly 
     authorized slot exemptions;
       ``(ii) shall have sole discretion concerning the use of an 
     exemption made available under paragraph (1), including the 
     initial or any subsequent within or beyond perimeter 
     destinations to be served; and
       ``(iii) shall file a notice of intent with the Secretary 
     and subsequent notices of intent, when appropriate, to inform 
     the Secretary of any change in circumstances concerning the 
     use of any exemption made available under paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Notices of intent.--Notices of intent under paragraph 
     (2)(B)(iii) shall specify the within or beyond perimeter 
     destinations to be served.
       ``(4) Conditions.--Flight operations carried out by an air 
     carrier using an exemption granted under this subsection 
     shall be subject to the following conditions:
       ``(A) An air carrier granted an exemption under this 
     subsection is prohibited from transferring the rights to its 
     slot exemptions pursuant to section 41714(j).
       ``(B) The exemptions granted under subsection (2)--
       ``(i) may not be for operations between the hours of 10:00 
     p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; and
       ``(ii) may not increase the number of operations at Ronald 
     Reagan Washington National Airport in any 1-hour period 
     during the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 9:59 p.m. by more than 
     8 operations.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 41718 of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)(2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in clause (i), by inserting ``or (i)(2)'' after 
     ``(g)(2)''; and
       (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``and (g)'' and inserting 
     ``(g), and (i)''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or (i)(2)'' after 
     ``(g)(3)''; and
       (2) in subsection (h)(1), by inserting ``or (i)'' after 
     ``subsection (g)''.
       (c) Preservation of Existing Within-Perimeter Air 
     Service.--In recognition of the importance of preserving air 
     service, as it exists on the date of enactment of this 
     section, between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 
     and within-perimeter airports and communities, this section 
     and the amendments made by this section shall not be 
     construed as authorizing any limited incumbent or non-limited 
     incumbent air carrier holding slots or slot exemptions at 
     Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as of the date of 
     enactment of this subsection to use an existing within-
     perimeter slot to serve an airport beyond the perimeter 
     described in section 49109 of title 49, United States Code.
                                 ______