[House Report 105-408]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 2d Session                                                     105-408
_______________________________________________________________________


 
                     RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT

                                _______
                                

January 29, 1998.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


 Mr. Shuster, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

               DISSENTING AND ADDITIONAL DISSENTING VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 2625]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 
was referred the bill (H.R. 2625) to redesignate Washington 
National Airport as ``Ronald Reagan Washington National 
Airport'', having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended 
do pass.
  The amendments are as follows:
  Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION.

  The airport described in the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for the 
administration of the Washington National Airport, and for other 
purposes'', approved June 29, 1940 (Chapter 444; 54 Stat. 686), and 
known as the Washington National Airport, shall hereafter be known and 
designated as the ``Ronald Reagan National Airport''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

  (a) In General.--(1) The following provisions of law are amended by 
striking ``Washington National Airport'' each place it appears and 
inserting ``Ronald Reagan National Airport'':
          (A) Section 1(b) of the Act of June 29, 1940 (Chapter 444; 54 
        Stat. 686).
          (B) Sections 106 and 107 of the Act of October 31, 1945 
        (Chapter 443; 59 Stat. 553).
          (C) Section 41714 of title 49, United States Code.
          (D) Chapter 491 of title 49, United States Code.
  (2) Section 41714(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended in 
the subsection heading by striking ``Washington National Airport'' and 
inserting ``Ronald Reagan National Airport''.
  (b) Other References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Washington 
National Airport shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``Ronald 
Reagan National Airport''.

  Amend the title so as to read:

    A bill to rename the Washington National Airport located in 
the District of Columbia and Virginia as the ``Ronald Reagan 
National Airport''.

                               Background

    According to the National Park Service, in 1927, a joint 
airport committee voted to approve a site for a new municipal 
airport for the nation's capital. It chose Gravelly Point, a 
shallow-water area on the west bank of the Potomac across from 
Haines Point, four and a half miles south of Washington, D.C. 
This was designed to replace the Washington Hoover Airport 
which was located approximately where the Pentagon is today.
    At first, the proposed airport was referred to as the 
``Gravelly Point Airport Project.'' However, over time it came 
to be known as National Airport. There does not seem to be any 
precise moment or action that can be cited for the name change. 
Nevertheless the name National Airport was appearing on 
documents as early as 1938. And in 1940, when legislation was 
enacted to provide for the administration of the new airport, 
the law referred to the airport as the ``Washington National 
Airport.''
    Washington National Airport opened for business in 1941. 
For its first 45 years, the airport was owned by the Federal 
government and operated by the Federal Aviation Administration 
or its predecessor agencies. During that time, there were 
several efforts to consider transferring the airport, and the 
Washington Dulles Airport, to a government corporation or local 
control.
    However, it was not until the Reagan administration that 
the transfer really began to gain momentum. In 1984, President 
Reagan and his Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole 
established an Advisory Commission and charged it with 
developing a proposal for transferring the two airports from 
Federal to local control. It was generally recognized at that 
time that continued Federal stewardship was resulting in 
dilapidated terminals, congested roadways, and an inability to 
improve the airports that was inconsistent with the need to 
create a world class gateway for the nation's capital.
    On December 18, 1984, the Commission issued its report 
recommending that National and Dulles airports be transferred 
to a single, independent public authority to be created jointly 
by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia, 
with the capacity to issue tax exempt revenue bonds to finance 
improvements at both airports.
    With some modifications, Congress accepted the Commission's 
recommendations and passed the Metropolitan Washington Airports 
Act of 1986. On October 30, 1986, President Reagan signed this 
bill into law (Title VI of P.L. 99-591). Under this 
legislation, the Federal government retains ownership of 
National and Dulles airports but leases them to a local 
authority known as the Metropolitan Washington Airports 
Authority (MWAA). This law has enabled MWAA to embark on an 
ambitious modernization program, the most visible symbol of 
which is the new passenger terminal at National Airport which 
opened last year.

                              Legislation

    H.R. 2625 was introduced by Congressman Barr on October 7, 
1997 to honor Ronald Reagan for his service to the nation and 
his contribution to the modernization of National Airport. The 
reported bill would name that airport the ``Ronald Reagan 
National Airport.''
    Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 and in 1980 was 
elected the 40th President of the United States. H.R. 2625 
would honor Reagan for his leadership to and for the citizens 
of the United States and all freedom-loving people throughout 
the world. In particular, the bill is designed to honor the 
President for the following accomplishments during his 
administration which were eloquently set forth by the 
Republican Governors Association on November 22, 1997 at its 
annual meeting in Miami, Florida:
          President Reagan established fiscal policies that 
        invigorated the American economy, revitalizing growth 
        and investment while decreasing federal spending, 
        inflation, interest and tax rates and unemployment;
          When confronted by increasingly tense relations with 
        the former Soviet Union, President Reagan's policy of 
        ``peace through strength'' restored national security, 
        ensured peace and paved the way for the successful end 
        of the Cold War;
          President Reagan's leadership encouraged a 
        rediscovery of the values upon which our forefathers 
        founded this nation;
          In 1986 President Reagan persuaded Congress to end 
        the inefficiency and expense of federal ownership of 
        Washington National Airport and transfer control to an 
        independent state-level authority, paving the way for 
        long-overdue airport modernization projects, including 
        construction of National's new terminal.
    The naming of this airport does not require any change in 
the lease between the Federal government and the MWAA. Section 
1.M of the lease refers to the airport as the one described in 
the Act of June 29, 1940 (54 Stat. 686). This legislation 
changes that 1940 Act by inserting the new name in the reported 
bill. Accordingly, the airport referred to in the lease will 
continue to be the airport described in the Act of 1940 and the 
airport described in that Act will now be the Ronald Reagan 
National Airport.
    There is nothing else in the lease that would prevent this 
action. Provisions in the scope clause of the lease dealing 
with MWAA's authority ``to occupy, control and use'' the 
airport and to have ``full power and dominion over'' the 
airport do not prohibit the Federal government (the landlord) 
from naming the airport. Although there are certainly 
differences, the situation is not unlike that which existed in 
County of Erie v. Buffalo Bills Division of Highwood Services, 
348 N.Y.S.2d 260 (1973) where the court found that the landlord 
had the right to change the name of the stadium but was limited 
in its ability to put up signs. Here the Committee believes 
that the naming of the airport does not affect MWAA's ability 
to operate, control, use, or exercise power and dominion over 
the airport. The naming itself does not undercut the airport's 
ability to decide where or how to place the signs.
    Concerns that the name chosen for this airport would 
somehow denigrate the memory of George Washington are without 
foundation. The term ``Washington'' was probably included in 
the 1940 name of the airport in order to indicate the market 
that the airport served, that is Washington, D.C. That was 
certainly the case with other airport namings. For example, 
Public Law 98-510, 98 Stat. 2365, October 19, 1984 renamed 
Dulles International Airport the Washington Dulles 
International Airport. The purpose of this renaming was not to 
minimize the contribution of John Foster Dulles but to indicate 
to passengers the market that the airport served. Similarly, 
Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) was given that 
name not to honor Lord Baltimore and George Washington but 
rather to indicate to passengers that that airport served both 
the Baltimore and Washington markets. However, the Reagan 
National Airport with its close proximity to D.C. is now so 
closely associated with the Nation's capitol that there is no 
real need to continue to include the word Washington in its 
name.
    The Committee is always concerned about the cost of its 
legislation but understands that there will be no significant 
cost to the Federal government and that the cost to MWAA should 
be minimal. The Committee expects MWAA to implement the name 
change in a timely fashion. To the extent that there is a cost, 
it should be noted that the Reagan Legacy Project has offered 
to raise money to help defray it. This name change would not 
necessarily affect the airport's DCA designator code.

                       Section-by-Section Summary

    Section 1 states that Washington National Airport shall 
hereafter be known and designated as the ``Ronald Reagan 
National Airport''.
    Section 2 amends various laws by inserting the new name of 
the airport. The laws amended include the following:
          The Act of June 29, 1940 providing for the 
        administration of the airport;
          The Act of October 31, 1945 establishing a boundary 
        line between D.C. and Virginia;
          Section 41714 of Title 49 dealing with slots at the 
        airport; and
          Chapter 491 of Title 49 that authorized the transfer 
        of the airport to MWAA.
    The section also states that any other reference to the 
airport in law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other 
Federal record shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
``Ronald Reagan National Airport''.

                                Hearings

    No hearings were held on the reported legislation.

                        Committee Consideration

    On January 27, 1998, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure met in open session and ordered reported H.R. 
2625 with an amendment by a vote of 39 to 28 with a quorum 
present. The Subcommittee on Aviation was discharged.

                             Rollcall Votes

    Clause 2(l)(2)(B) of rule XI requires each committee report 
to include the total number of votes cast for and against on 
each rollcall vote on a motion to report and on any amendment 
offered to the measure or matter, and the names of those 
members voting for and against.

                           DEFAZIO AMENDMENT

    This amendment would have made the name change contingent 
on securing the consent of MWAA. The amendment failed by a vote 
of 30 to 37 as follows:
        Members Voting Aye            Members Voting Nay
Barcia                              Bachus
Blumenauer                          Baker
Borski                              Bass
Boswell                             Bateman
Brown                               Blunt
Clement                             Boehlert
Clyburn                             Coble
Costello                            Cook
Cummings                            Cooksey
Danner                              Duncan
Davis                               Ehlers
DeFazio                             Emerson
Filner                              Ewing
Johnson of TX                       Fox
Lampson                             Fossella
Lipinski                            Fowler
McGovern                            Franks
Mascara                             Gilchrest
Menendez                            Granger
Millender-McDonald                  Horn
Nadler                              Hutchinson
Norton                              Kelly
Oberstar                            Kim
Poshard                             LaHood
Rahall                              LaTourette
Sandlin                             LoBiondo
Tauscher                            Metcalf
Taylor                              Mica
Traficant                           Moran
Wise                                Ney
                                    Petri
                                    Pickering
                                    Pitts
                                    Quinn
                                    Riggs
                                    Thune
                                    Shuster

                            TAYLOR AMENDMENT

    This amendment would have limited the Federal share of the 
costs of carrying out the name change to 50 percent. It failed 
by a vote of 28 to 38 as follows:
        Members Voting Aye            Members Voting Nay
Barcia                              Bachus
Blumenauer                          Baker
Borski                              Bass
Boswell                             Bateman
Brown                               Blunt
Clement                             Boehlert
Clyburn                             Coble
Costello                            Cook
Cummings                            Cooksey
Danner                              Davis
DeFazio                             Duncan
Filner                              Ehlers
Johnson of TX                       Emerson
Johnson of WI                       Ewing
Lampson                             Fossella
Lipinski                            Fowler
McGovern                            Fox
Menendez                            Franks
Mascara                             Gilchrest
Nadler                              Granger
Norton                              Horn
Oberstar                            Hutchinson
Poshard                             Kelly
Rahall                              Kim
Sandlin                             LaHood
Tauscher                            LaTourette
Taylor                              LoBiondo
Wise                                Metcalf
                                    Mica
                                    Moran
                                    Ney
                                    Petri
                                    Pickering
                                    Pitts
                                    Quinn
                                    Riggs
                                    Thune
                                    Shuster

                            motion to report

    The bill, as amended, was favorably reported to the House 
by a vote of 39 to 28 as follows:
        Members Voting Aye            Members Voting Nay
Bachus                              Barcia
Baker                               Blumenauer
Bass                                Borski
Bateman                             Boswell
Blunt                               Brown
Boehlert                            Clement
Coble                               Clyburn
Cook                                Costello
Cooksey                             Cummings
Davis                               Danner
Duncan                              DeFazio
Ehlers                              Filner
Emerson                             Johnson of TX
Ewing                               Johnson of WI
Fossella                            Lampson
Fowler                              Lipinski
Fox                                 McGovern
Franks                              Mascara
Gilchrest                           Menendez
Granger                             Millender-McDonald
Horn                                Nadler
Hutchinson                          Norton
Kelly                               Oberstar
Kim                                 Poshard
LaHood                              Rahall
LaTourette                          Sandlin
LoBiondo                            Tauscher
Metcalf                             Wise
Mica
Moran
Ney
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Quinn
Riggs
Taylor
Thune
Shuster

                      Committee Oversight Findings

    With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3)(A) of 
rule XI of the Rules of House of Representatives, the 
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are 
reflected in this report.

                        Cost of the Legislation

    Clause 7 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and 
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the 
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is 
included in this report.

                     Compliance With House Rule XI

    1. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(B) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee references the report of the Congressional Budget 
Office included below.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(D) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee has received no report of oversight findings and 
recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight on the subject of H.R. 2625.
    3. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(C) of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee has received the following cost estimate for H.R. 
2625 from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, January 28, 1998.
Hon. Bud Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of 
        Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate (including a mandates 
statement) for H.R. 2625, a bill to redesignate Washington 
National Airport as ``Ronald Reagan National Airport''.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Clare 
Doherty (for federal cost), and Kirsten Layman (for the state 
and local impact).
            Sincerely,
                                              James L. Blum
                                   (For June E. O'Neill, Director).
    Enclosure.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

H.R. 2625--A bill to redesignate Washington National Airport as 
        ``Ronald Reagan National Airport''

    CBO estimates enacting this bill would have no significant 
impact on the federal budget. Because the bill would not affect 
direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would not 
apply. H.R. 2625 contains no private-sector mandates as defined 
in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA). The bill 
contains an intergovernmental mandate as defined in UMRA but 
CBO estimates that the costs of complying with this mandate 
would not be significant.
    H.R. 2625 contains an intergovernmental mandate because the 
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) would likely 
have to alter signs and change references to the Washington 
National Airport in flyers, guides, and the Washington National 
Airport magazine. Based on discussions with staff of the MWAA, 
CBO estimates that the costs of new signs would be minimal. 
Changes to other materials would probably not be made until 
current supplies of such items are depleted. Additional costs, 
therefore, would be negligible.
    Finally, it appears unlikely that the Federal Highway 
Administration would require local jurisdictions to change the 
current road signs that refer to ``National Airport.'' 
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, if the 
state chose to change these signs, costs would not exceed 
$500,000.
    The CBO staff contacts are Clare Doherty (for federal 
costs), and Kirsten Layman (for the state and local impact). 
This estimate was approved by Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                   Constitutional Authority Statement

    Pursuant to clause (2)(l)(4) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, committee reports on a bill or joint 
resolution of a public character shall include a statement 
citing the specific powers granted to the Congress in the 
Constitution to enact the measure. The Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure finds that Congress has the 
authority to enact this measure pursuant to its powers granted 
under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

                       Federal Mandates Statement

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of the Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act (Public Law 104-4).

                      Advisory Committee Statement

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                Applicability to the Legislative Branch

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 
104-1).

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the 
bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed 
to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed 
is shown in roman):

                          ACT OF JUNE 29, 1940

  AN ACT To provide for the administration of the Washington National 
                    Airport, and for other purposes

  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for 
the purposes of this Act--
  Sec. 1. (a) ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
Transportation.
  (b) ``Airport'' means the [Washington National Airport] 
Ronald Reagan National Airport, which shall consist of, and 
include, the tract of land, together with all structures, 
improvements, and other facilities located thereon, lying 
partly in the District of Columbia and partly in the State of 
Virginia, particularly described as follows:
          * * * * * * *
                              ----------                              


                        ACT OF OCTOBER 31, 1945

 AN ACT To establish a boundary line between the District of Columbia 
        and the Commonwealth of Virginia, and for other purposes

    TITLE I--BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THE 
                        COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

          * * * * * * *
  Sec. 106. The provisions of sections 272 to 289, inclusive, 
of the Criminal Code (U.S.C., title 18, secs. 451-468) shall be 
applicable to such portions of the George Washington Memorial 
Parkway and of the [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan 
National Airport as are situated within the Commonwealth of 
Virginia. Any United States commissioner specially designated 
for that purpose by the District Court of the United States for 
the Eastern District of Virginia shall have jurisdiction to try 
and, if found guilty, to sentence persons charged with petty 
offenses against the laws of the United States committed on the 
above-described portions of the said parkway or airport. The 
probation laws shall be applicable to persons so tried. For the 
purposes of this section, the term ``petty offense'' shall be 
defined as in section 335 of the Criminal Code (U.S.C., title 
18, sec. 541). If any person charged with any petty offense as 
a foresaid shall so elect, however, he shall be tried in the 
said district court.
  Sec. 107. The State of Virginia hereby consents that 
exclusive jurisdiction in the [Washington National Airport] 
Ronald Reagan National Airport (as described in sec. 1(b) of 
the Act of June 29, 1940 (54 Stat. 686)), title to which is now 
in the United States, shall be in the United States. The 
conditions upon which this consent is given are the following 
and none others: (1) There is hereby reserved in the 
Commonwealth of Virginia the jurisdiction and power to levy a 
tax on the sale of oil, gasoline, and all other motor fuels and 
lubricants sold on the [Washington National Airport] Ronald 
Reagan National Airport for use in over-the-road vehicles such 
as trucks, busses, and automobiles, except sales to the United 
States: Provided, That the Commonwealth of Virginia shall have 
no jurisdiction or power to levy a tax on the sale or use of 
oil, gasoline, or other motor fuels and lubricants for other 
purposes; (2) there is hereby expressly reserved in the 
Commonwealth of Virginia the jurisdiction and power to serve 
criminal and civil process on the [Washington National Airport] 
Ronald Reagan National Airport; and (3) there is hereby 
reserved in the Commonwealth of Virginia the jurisdiction and 
power to regulate the manufacture, sale, and use of alcoholic 
beverages on the [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan 
National Airport (as described in sec. 1(b) of the Act of June 
29, 1940 (54 Stat. 686)).
  Subject to the limitation on the consent of the State of 
Virginia as expressed herein exclusive jurisdiction in the 
[Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport 
shall be in the United States and the same is hereby accepted 
by the United States.
  This Act shall have no retroactive effect except that taxes 
and contributions in connection with operations, sales and 
property on and income derived at the [Washington National 
Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport heretofore paid either 
to the Commonwealth of Virginia or the District of Columbia are 
hereby declared to have been paid to the proper jurisdictions 
and the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia 
each hereby waives any claim for any such taxes or 
contributions heretofore assessed or assessable to the extent 
of any such payment to either jurisdiction.
  Any provision of law of the United States or the Commonwealth 
of Virginia which is to any extent in conflict with this Act is 
to the extent of such conflict hereby expressly repealed.
                              ----------                              


                      TITLE 49, UNITED STATES CODE

          * * * * * * *

                    SUBTITLE VII--AVIATION PROGRAMS

          * * * * * * *

                    PART A--AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY

          * * * * * * *

                    SUBPART II--ECONOMIC REGULATION

          * * * * * * *

                  CHAPTER 417--OPERATIONS OF CARRIERS

          * * * * * * *

                       SUBCHAPTER I--REQUIREMENTS

          * * * * * * *

Sec. 41714. Availability of slots

  (a) Making Slots Available for Essential Air Service.--
          (1) Operational authority.--If basic essential air 
        service under subchapter II of this chapter is to be 
        provided from an eligible point to a high density 
        airport (other than [Washington National Airport] 
        Ronald Reagan National Airport), the Secretary of 
        Transportation shall ensure that the air carrier 
        providing or selected to provide such service has 
        sufficient operational authority at the high density 
        airport to provide such service. The operational 
        authority shall allow flights at reasonable times 
        taking into account the needs of passengers with 
        connecting flights.
          * * * * * * *
  (b) Slots for Foreign Air Transportation.--
          (1) Exemptions.--If the Secretary finds it to be in 
        the public interest at a high density airport (other 
        than [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan 
        National Airport), the Secretary may grant by order 
        exemptions from the requirements of subparts K and S of 
        part 93 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations 
        (pertaining to slots at high density airports), to 
        enable air carriers and foreign air carriers to provide 
        foreign air transportation using Stage 3 aircraft.
          * * * * * * *
  (c) Slots for New Entrants.--
          (1) In general.--If the Secretary finds it to be in 
        the public interest and the circumstances to be 
        exceptional, the Secretary may by order grant 
        exemptions from the requirements under subparts K and S 
        of part 93 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations 
        (pertaining to slots at high density airports), to 
        enable new entrant air carriers to provide air 
        transportation at high density airports (other than 
        [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National 
        Airport).
          (2) Period of effectiveness.--Exemptions issued under 
        this subsection shall cease to be in effect on or after 
        the date on which the final rules issued under 
        subsection (f) become effective.
  (d) Special Rules for [Washington National Airport] Ronald 
Reagan National Airport.--
          (1) In general.--Notwithstanding sections 49104(a)(5) 
        and 49111(e) of this title, or any provision of this 
        section, the Secretary may, only under circumstances 
        determined by the Secretary to be exceptional, grant by 
        order to an air carrier currently holding or operating 
        a slot at [Washington NationalAirport] Ronald Reagan 
National Airport an exemption from requirements under subparts K and S 
of part 93 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (pertaining to 
slots at [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport), 
to enable that carrier to provide air transportation with Stage 3 
aircraft at [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National 
Airport; except that such exemption shall not--
                  (A) result in an increase in the total number 
                of slots per day at [Washington National 
                Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport;
                  (B) result in an increase in the total number 
                of slots at [Washington National Airport] 
                Ronald Reagan National Airport from 7:00 ante 
                meridiem to 9:59 post meridiem;
                  (C) increase the number of operations at 
                [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan 
                National Airport in any 1-hour period by more 
                than 2 operations;
          * * * * * * *

                        PART D--PUBLIC AIRPORTS

             CHAPTER 491--METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON AIRPORTS

          * * * * * * *

Sec. 49103. Definitions

  In this chapter--
          (1) * * *
          * * * * * * *
          (3) ``Metropolitan Washington Airports'' means 
        [Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National 
        Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.
          * * * * * * *
          (5) ``[Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan 
        National Airport'' means the airport described in the 
        Act of June 29, 1940 (ch. 444, 54 Stat. 686).

Sec. 49104. Lease of Metropolitan Washington Airports

  (a) General.--The lease between the Secretary of 
Transportation and the Metropolitan Washington Airports 
Authority under section 6005(a) of the Metropolitan Washington 
Airports Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-500; 100 Stat. 1783-375; 
Public Law 99-591; 100 Stat. 3341-378), for the Metropolitan 
Washington Airports must provide during its 50-year term at 
least the following:
          (1) * * *
          * * * * * * *
          (5)(A) * * *
          * * * * * * *
          (C) The Airports Authority may not increase or 
        decrease the number of instrument flight rule takeoffs 
        and landings authorized by the High Density Rule (14 
        CFR 93.121 et seq.) at [Washington National Airport] 
        Ronald Reagan National Airport on October 18, 1986, and 
        may not impose a limitation on the number of passengers 
        taking off or landing at [Washington National Airport] 
        Ronald Reagan National Airport.
          * * * * * * *
          (9) A landing fee imposed for operating an aircraft 
        or revenues derived from parking automobiles--
                  (A) at Washington Dulles International 
                Airport may not be used for maintenance or 
                operating expenses (excluding debt service, 
                depreciation, and amortization) at [Washington 
                National Airport] Ronald Reagan National 
                Airport; and
                  (B) at [Washington National Airport] Ronald 
                Reagan National Airport may not be used for 
                maintenance or operating expenses (excluding 
                debt service, depreciation, and amortization) 
                at Washington Dulles International Airport.
          * * * * * * *

Sec. 49105. Capital improvements, construction, and rehabilitation

  (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority--
          (1) should pursue the improvement, construction, and 
        rehabilitation of the facilities at Washington Dulles 
        International Airport and [Washington National Airport] 
        Ronald Reagan National Airport simultaneously; and
          (2) to the extent practicable, should cause the 
        improvement, construction, and rehabilitation proposed 
        by the Secretary of Transportation to be completed at 
        Washington Dulles International Airport and [Washington 
        National Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport within 
        5 years after March 30, 1988.
          * * * * * * *

Sec. 49109. Nonstop flights

  An air carrier may not operate an aircraft nonstop in air 
transportation between [Washington National Airport] Ronald 
Reagan National Airport and another airport that is more than 
1,250 statute miles away from [Washington National Airport] 
Ronald Reagan National Airport.
          * * * * * * *

Sec. 49111. Relationship to and effect of other laws

  (a) * * *
          * * * * * * *
  (c) Police Power.--Virginia shall have concurrent police 
power authority over the Metropolitan Washington Airports, and 
the courts of Virginia may exercise jurisdiction over 
[Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport.
  (d) Planning.--(1) The authority of the National Capital 
Planning Commission under section 5 of the Act of June 6, 1924 
(40 U.S.C. 71d), does not apply to the Airports Authority.
  (2) The Airports Authority shall consult with--
          (A) the Commission and the Advisory Council on 
        Historic Preservation before undertaking any major 
        alterations to the exterior of the main terminal at 
        Washington Dulles International Airport; and
          (B) the Commission before undertaking development 
        that would alter the skyline of [Washington National 
        Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport when viewed 
        from the opposing shoreline of the Potomac River or 
        from the George Washington Parkway.
  (e) Operation Limitations.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration may not increase the number of 
instrument flight rule takeoffs and landings authorized for air 
carriers by the High Density Rule (14 CFR 93.121 et seq.) at 
[Washington National Airport] Ronald Reagan National Airport on 
October 18, 1986, and may not decrease the number of those 
takeoffs and landings except for reasons of safety.
          * * * * * * *

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

    Although we strongly oppose the bill to rename the 
Washington National Airport after President Reagan, our 
opposition should not be construed as a lack of appreciation 
for President Reagan's achievements or a lack of sympathy for 
his serious illness. Some of us were supporters of President 
Reagan's policies, while others opposed them. We all agree that 
President Reagan's service to the country should be recognized 
by an appropriate naming of public facilities. However, this 
does not mean we should blindly accept any proposal that is 
made. Our responsibilities as Members of the Committee with 
jurisdiction over the naming of public facilities require us to 
evaluate these proposals on their merits. By these standards, 
the proposal to rename Washington National Airport must be 
rejected. The proposal is an unwarranted federal interference 
with the rights of local governments and communities and is 
inconsistent with long-standing Congressional policies on the 
naming of public facilities.
1. Renaming Washington National Airport against the wishes of the local 
        government authority running the airport, and the wishes of the 
        communities in which the airport is located, would be contrary 
        to law and inconsistent with President Reagan's philosophy
    In many respects the Federal Government is still operating 
on the outdated, and, if I may say so, arrogant assumption that 
the States can't manage their own affairs.
          * * * * *
    Let us renew and enrich the power and purpose of States and 
local communities and let us return to the people those rights 
and duties that are justly theirs.
          * * * * *
    The greatest threat to freedom, even in today's perilous 
items, comes from no foreign force. It comes from a dangerous 
habit many of our leaders fell into over several generations--
letting the power and the resources that are the basis of 
freedom slip from grassroots America into the hands of a remote 
central authority. Today we have the opportunity to turn that 
centralization of power around.

Remarks by President Reagan, 1981-1983.

    A cornerstone of President Reagan's philosophy is that the 
Federal government should not carry out responsibilities which 
can be handled by state and local government. He strongly 
believes that, whenever possible, citizens should be governed 
at the level of government which is closest to them and can 
recognize their unique needs. This philosophy was embodied in 
the 1986 legislation which transferred control of the only two 
airports run by the federal government, Washington National and 
Washington Dulles, to a local government authority. It would be 
completely inconsistent with President Reagan's philosophy and 
with the letter and spirit of the 1986 legislation for the 
federal government to reenter the picture and unilaterally 
rename Washington National Airport, against the wishes of the 
local airport authority, and the wishes of the communities in 
which the airport is located.
    The 1986 Act made it clear that the local agency that would 
run the airport under a 50 year lease (an airport authority 
created by the commonwealth of Virginia and the District of 
Columbia) would be given the same authority to run the airports 
as is held by other airport authorities around the country. The 
findings of the 1986 Act states that ``* * * all other major 
air carrier airports in the United States are operated by 
public entities at the state or local level'' and that ``* * * 
the Secretary of Transportation had recommended a transfer of 
authority from the federal to the local-state level that is 
consistent with the management of major airports elsewhere in 
the nation'' (Sec. 6002). The Act also stated that the purpose 
of the legislation was ``* * * to achieve local control, 
management, operation, and development of these important 
transportation assets'' (Sec. 6003).
    The 1986 legislation made it clear that the two Washington 
area airports were not to be treated differently from other 
airports just because the federal government retained an 
interest as a landlord under the 50 year lease of the Airports 
to the local authority. Sec. 6009(b) of the Act, provided that 
``* * * the metropolitan airports and the airport authority 
shall not be subject to the requirement of any law solely by 
the reason of the retention by the United States of fee simple 
title to such airports''.
    The 50 year lease of the airports from the federal 
government to the local authority makes it even more clear that 
the Airports Authority is to have complete power to run the 
airports. The lease provides the Airports Authority will have 
``* * * full power and dominion over, and complete discretion 
in, operation and development of the Airports'' and that the 
Authority shall have the ``same proprietary powers * * * as any 
other airport''.
    We believe that a law and a lease which (as discussed 
above) give ``full power'', ``complete discretion'' and the 
``same proprietary powers as any other airport'' to operate an 
airport includes control over the name of the Airport. 
``Complete discretion'' to operate a business ordinarily 
implies the right to select the name under which the business 
operates. Under the 1986 Act, the Airport Authority was 
expected to underwrite billions of dollars in bonds tomodernize 
the long neglected facilities. It is only fair that a commitment of 
this magnitude be accompanied by protection against an unwanted name 
change.
    It is clear that the name change proposed by the pending 
legislation is not acceptable to the local authority running 
National Airport, or to the citizens residing in the airport's 
community. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 
Airport Authority recently stated that he believed that if the 
Board of Directors voted on this name change, it would be 
rejected. The Committee has also received a letter from 
Congressman Moran, in whose District the Airport is located, 
strongly opposing the transfer. If this legislation goes 
forward over his objections, it would be the first time that a 
building or facility would be named by the Congress against the 
wishes of the Congressman representing the district in which 
the building is located. As a further indication of local 
opposition to the renaming, the Committee has received letters 
opposing the transfer from the County of Arlington in which the 
airport is located, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade.
    The desire of the supporters of this legislation to run 
roughshod over local rights was emphasized by the Committee's 
rejection (by a vote of 37-30 with only one Republican voting 
against) of an amendment which would have required the consent 
of the local Airport Authority before the name change could 
take effect.
    We cannot understand why supporters of this legislation 
believe that it is a suitable honor for President Reagan to 
change the name of a locally-run facility over the objections 
of the facility itself, and the communities in which it is 
located. The heavy-handed nature of this proposal was 
emphasized in a discussion with Committee Counsel at the 
Committee markup. Counsel's interpretation of the lease was 
that the federal government could change the name of the 
Airport since this was not an ``operational'' matter, but that 
the federal Government could not direct the airport to change 
the name in signs on the airport property, since this would be 
operational. When asked whether this distinction could make a 
federal legislative change of name meaningless, counsel 
responded that the federal government could coerce compliance 
by taking away the airport's federal funding or refusing to 
allow the airport to collect locally instituted passenger 
facility charges to make the airport safer and more efficient. 
This assertion of federal authority should be shocking to 
proponents of a limited federal government, and those who 
strongly oppose unfunded federal mandates or unwarranted 
federal intervention in local affairs.

2. The proposed name change is inconsistent with long-standing 
        congressional policy against renaming a federal facility

    Washington National Airport should not be renamed because 
the airport already has an appropriate name which was chosen 
when the airport opened 50 years ago. The airport was named 
``National'' because it serves the capital of our Nation. The 
name `Washington' reflect the city the airport serves and 
honors the Father of our Country. The name of the airport 
should continue to reflect its service to the entire Nation. It 
should not be renamed to reflect a contemporary political 
agenda which many Americans do not accept. Renaming Washington 
National Airport after President Reagan would be especially 
divisive when the other airport that services our capital, 
Washington Dulles, is already named after a Republican 
official.
    Renaming a public facility is contrary to long-standing 
congressional policy. So far as we are aware, Congress has 
never changed the name of a facility which already has a name. 
This policy has been followed by Democrats and Republicans 
alike. To cite just one recent example when Secretary Ron Brown 
tragically died while serving his country, Democrats did not 
propose changing the name of the Herbert Hoover Department of 
Commerce Building to the Ron Brown Building.
    Renaming National Airport after a controversial figure such 
as Ronald Reagan and against the wishes of the Congressman in 
whose district the airport resides would set an unwise 
precedent in regard to all future naming bills. Starting down 
the road of renaming could lead to a period of massive changes, 
as there are shifts in the Majority in Congress and changes in 
the nation's political philosophy. Presidents, whose historical 
reputations rise and fall, would be particularly vulnerable to 
these changes. If President Reagan's reputation declines in the 
future we would not want to see the Ronald Reagan Building & 
International Trade Center renamed to reflect the whim of the 
moment. The same protection should be afforded to an airport 
name which reflects an airport's service to the nation and 
recognizes our First President.

3. It is the supporters of this legislation who are turning a bill to 
        name a public facility into a partisan political issues

    Supporters of the bill have made it clear there is an 
agenda beyond honoring an ailing former President. A leading 
supporter of the proposal, former Governor George Allen 
ofVirginia, ``* * * noted with relish that with the new name, 
generations of lawmakers would be greeted by a memorial to a famous 
opponent of federal spending * * *'' (Washington Post, November 23, 
1997). Congressman Bob Barr, sponsor of the legislation to rename the 
airport, supported his bill with a statement that ``* * * it is only 
fitting that the gateway to the city that still enjoys the Reagan 
legacy of smaller government and lower taxes be named after this 
American hero'' (Associated Press, October 23, 1997).
    Even more pointedly, on a recent ``This Week'' show on ABC, 
conservative columnist and commentator George Will remarked 
that if the renaming proposal is adopted, Washington passengers 
``would fly out of two airports, one named John Foster Dulles, 
and the other after Ronald Reagan, and that's an ideologically 
perfect choice.'' On the same program, fellow conservative Bill 
Kristol remarked that naming the airport after Ronald Reagan is 
``especially worth it because it will so annoy people like 
George [Stephanopoulos].'' These remarks reveal that the 
renaming movement is motivated by an ``in your face'' attitude 
and a desire to turn the airport into a billboard for a 
political cause. In this environment, a new name for the 
airport will only promote controversy and divisiveness. Is this 
the way President Reagan's supporters want him to be 
remembered?

4. Naming an airport after President Reagan would be controversial and 
        divisive because of his aviation policies

    It is puzzling to us that President Reagan's supporters 
have chosen an airport as the focus of their efforts to honor 
him. We respectfully suggest to supporters of the legislation 
that they consider the dark symbolism of naming an airport 
after the President who fired 11,000 air traffic controllers 
after they went on strike in 1981, and then went on to prevent 
them from reapplying for their jobs far beyond any reasonable 
period of punishment. These actions are widely viewed within 
the aviation community as creating a controller shortage which 
handicapped the aviation industry far beyond President Reagan's 
term of office. When we talk to people about the proposed 
renaming of the airport, they immediately note the irony of 
naming the airport after the President who fired the 
controllers. Is this the legacy his supporters want?

5. There are alternative ways of honoring President Reagan

    Congress has not ignored the Reagan legacy. He has been 
honored by naming the International Trade Center, the largest 
federal building other than the Pentagon; a federal court house 
in California; and the newest Nimitz-class carrier in the 
Navy's fleet. These are substantial honors, particularly when 
we remember that construction on George Washington's monument 
did not begin until 49 years after his death; President Lincoln 
was not honored with a memorial until 44 years after his 
assassination, and the Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials were 
not complete until 134 and 52 years after their respective 
deaths.
    If the purpose of this whole exercise is to honor the 40th 
President of the United States, then we believe it cannot 
succeed. The legitimate problems which have been raised mean 
that even if the legislation is passed, it is too controversial 
and divisive to achieve its purpose. Unfortunately, the 
proponents have insisted on a proposal fraught with problems 
and rejected suggestions to find reasonable alternatives or 
make meaningful improvements and, we submit, it is only going 
to get worse with consideration by the Rules Committee and the 
House still to come.
    Again, as we have stated, we are willing to support 
reasonable alternatives. We invite our majority colleagues to 
work with us to find an honor which is consistent with 
President Reagan's philosophy and accomplishments, and complies 
with time honored Congressional policies for naming public 
facilities.

                                   William O. Lipinski.
                                   Eleanor H. Norton.
                                   James E. Clyburn.
                                   Bob Filner.
                                   Jerrold Nadler.
                                   Ellen Tauscher.
                                   Jerry F. Costello.
                                   James L. Oberstar.
                                   Corrine Brown.
                                   Max Sandlin.
                                   Bill Pascrell.
                                   Leonard L. Boswell.
                                   Pat Danner.
                                   James P. McGovern.
                                   Earl Blumenauer.
                                   Elijah E. Cummings.
                                   Bob Borski.
                                   Bob Wise.
                                   Robert Menendez.
                                   Pete DeFazio.
                                   Glenn Poshard.
                                   Nick Rahall.
                                   Nick Lampson.
                                   Bob Clement.
                                   Frank Mascara.
                                   Juanita Millender-McDonald.
                                   Eddie Bernice Johnson.
                                   Jay W. Johnson.

            ADDITIONAL DISSENTING VIEWS OF JERRY F. COSTELLO

    While I have a great respect for Ronald Reagan and what he 
was able to accomplish during his tenure in the White House, I 
strongly disagree with the proposal to rename Washington 
National Airport the Ronald Reagan National Airport.
    Over the years, this Committee has named many buildings and 
public facilities for distinguished individuals, including the 
new Ronald Reagan Trade Center in Washington, D.C. However, to 
my knowledge we have never renamed a building, let alone an 
airport. To replace the name given to Washington National 
Airport--clearly named after the first president of our 
country, George Washington--with another president sets a 
terrible precedent.
    There is overwhelming local opposition to renaming 
Washington National Airport. To do so is contradictory to the 
Republican philosophy that the federal government should stay 
out of local matters. The Airport Authority, which was granted 
control of Washington's two airports in 1986, does not support 
this name change. Representative Jim Moran, who represents the 
district in which Washington National is located, opposes the 
redesignation as do many of his constituents in the airport's 
community. Further, the County of Arlington and the Greater 
Washington Board of Trade both oppose changing the name.
    This attempt to rename Washington National Airport does not 
serve Ronald Reagan well. I will not vote for this bill when it 
reaches the floor of this House.

                                                 Jerry F. Costello.

                                
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