S.Amdt. 4697

SA 4697. Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Craig, Mr. Crapo, and Mr. Barrasso) submitted, under authority of the order of the Senate of May 2, 2008, an amendment intended to be proprosed by him to the bill H.R. 2881, to amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2008 through 2011, to improve aviation safety and capacity, to provide stable funding for the national aviation system, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. PRESERVATION AND EXPANSION OF ACCESS TO RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES.

(a) In General.--Section 41718 is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(g) Use of Airport Slots for Beyond Perimeter Flights.--

“(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 49109 or any other provision of law, and subject to the approval of the Secretary under paragraph (2), an air carrier that holds or operates air carrier slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as of the date of the enactment of this subsection, pursuant to subparts K and S of part 93 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that are being used as of that date for scheduled service between that Airport and a large hub airport (as defined in section 40102(a)(29)), may use not more than 2 of such slots for service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and any large hub airport located outside of the perimeter restriction described in section 49109.

“(2) Approval by secretary.--The Secretary shall approve the use of air carrier slots described in paragraph (1) if--

“(A) the use of such air carrier slots results in the provision of air transportation from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to small communities outside the perimeter restriction through the large hub airport with respect to which the air carrier slots are used; and

“(B) the Secretary determines that approving such use will not result in the reduction of nonstop air transportation between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and small or medium hub airports inside the perimeter restriction.”.

(b) Audits of Slot Exchanges.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct an audit of the use of air carrier slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for air transportation between that Airport and airports located outside of the perimeter restriction described in section 49109 of title 49, United States Code, authorized pursuant to the amendment made by subsection (a), to determine if small communities outside of the perimeter restriction are benefitting from the use of such air carrier slots.