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Bill Provides Critical Economic Relief for Maryland Airports
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, November 18, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) announced that the House of Representatives passed the FY 2006 Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia Appropriations Conference Report, which includes $5,000,000 in federal funds to reimburse general aviation entities based in Maryland for losses incurred in the wake of 9/11.
“This is a significant victory for the local economy,” Hoyer said. “I am enormously pleased that the House had the wisdom to provide reimbursements to small general aviation airports in the Washington region for the losses they incurred when the federal government shut them down after the September 11 terrorist attack.”
“The failure in past years to provide funds left small airports and airport-related services, specifically College Park Airport, Potomac Airfield, and Washington Executive, dangling on the brink of financial ruin,” added Hoyer. “Properly implemented by the Transportation Department, this measure is an important step toward making these airports whole. I intend to monitor very closely this vital program to ensure that the Maryland’s airports are treated fairly and equitably.”
“It is my hope that the Senate will quickly pass the same legislation and the president will sign it as soon as it reaches his desk,” Hoyer concluded.
“Through no fault of their own, the operations at these airports have been severely curtailed as a result of the national security restrictions implemented since September 11, 2001,” said Sarbanes. “The economic hardships have been enormous and it is only fair that we provide some degree of relief for the financial losses incurred as a result of these restrictions.”
Maryland’s Three General Aviation Airports, $5 million
These funds will enable the Secretary of Transportation to reimburse the general aviation entities based in the district for the security costs incurred and revenue foregone as a result of the restrictions imposed by the Federal Government following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary flight restrictions on the small aircraft of general aviation as part of its effort to make commercial air travel safer. For more than three years College Park Airport in College Park, Potomac Airfield in Fort Washington, and Washington Executive/Hyde Field in Clinton were the only general aviation airports in the country that remained closed or were severely restricted to incoming and outgoing general aviation. As a result, general aviation entities based in the district, including flight schools, contractors, and small airports suffered significant financial losses. The $5 million program is an important step toward making these airport operations whole.
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