I thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois and as well the chairman and ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee for your leadership on a number of issues that have been on the floor of the…
I thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois and as well the chairman and ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee for your leadership on a number of issues that have been on the floor of the House today.
I thank my cosponsors, who realize in this time of a challenging economy how important the aviation industry is in being an economic engine; how many of our tourists that come to Washington, DC, many drive, but many of them fly, and they want to fly on a safe and secure system.
As the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, Mr. Costello and myself have common interests about security and safety, but we also are glad for our Nation's airports.
Our Nation's airports are large and small; they are rural and urban. I applaud them all. But I am excited to
stand with my colleagues to recognize one of the strongest airports in the Nation, the George H. Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, and is the subject of this resolution, H. Con. Res. 138 that I authored. I would like to thank my cosponsors, Mr. Culberson, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Olson, and Mr. Gene Green.
I sponsored this resolution to acknowledge the importance of airport travel and to recognize that this airport in Houston, Texas, is an economic engine and to realize that the airport's record of excellent service to the citizens of Houston and the national air transportation system is deserving of acclamation and applause, for their great service has been a critical component of Houston's economy, supporting more than 151,000 jobs and contributing over $24 billion in economic benefits to the Houston region over a period of time.
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the City of Houston was first opened for operation on June 8, 1969, 40 years ago. In 1997, it was named in honor of the Nation's 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush, who happens to be a resident, along with his wife, Mrs. Bush, of Houston, Texas. He was also a member of the Houston congressional delegation, and he was present at the 1969 opening of the airport.
In 1990, the City of Houston named IAH's International arrivals building, now terminal D, in honor of my predecessor, Congressman Mickey Leland of the 18th Congressional district, who died tragically on a humanitarian effort trying to help the starving and ravished people of Ethiopia. He was also a figure who cared about people.
Our airport cares about people. It served over 43 million passengers in 2008. It is the eighth largest airport in the United States and the 16th largest in the world for total passengers served, with more than 700 million people having passed through its gates since its opening.
The airport has grown to be worldwide. We are building new terminals now. The anchor airline is Continental; but we are open to the many, many other airlines, as well as international airlines, because this is an international city. Houston is the fourth largest city in the Nation, but soon to be in this new census the possibility of being the third largest city in the Nation.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport has 109 domestic and 65 nonstop international destinations in over 32 countries. We are a part of the economic engine of this great country.
I would also like to note that George H.W. Bush, since we are concerned about being secure, was the President who asked for the Pan Am 103 report on the tragedy of Pan Am 103. He asked the Congress to establish the Pan Am 103 commission, and that commission was part of the effort of being able to respond to that tragedy. George Bush as President received both the victims of that tragedy and the report while he was in the White House, and our now chairman of the full committee, Chairman Oberstar, was then the chairman of the Aviation Committee, served on the commission, and this Congress has implemented 63 of the 64 proposals of that particular commission. That means we worked hand-in-glove to help improve airline and airport security.
In supporting these airlines and supporting this airport, we are very pleased that this airport has been the recipient of many, many awards and as well many, many thank-you's from the employees to the traveling public. We are now in new construction for expansion.
I want to congratulate the City of Houston and the leadership of the Houston Intercontinental Airport, named for the 41st President of the United States, for providing the kind of economic engine that says to the world, we are open, we are friendly, and says to the City of Houston, we are your economic engine, too!
I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 138, Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in my home city of Houston, Texas. I would like thank my co-sponsors, Representative Culberson, Rep. Gene Green, Rep. McCaul, and Rep. Olson.
I sponsored this resolution to recognize the 40th anniversary of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport and congratulate officials of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Houston Airport System, and the city of Houston, Texas, for the airport's record of excellent service to the citizens of Houston and the national air transportation system. For their great service has been a critical component of the Houston economy, supporting more than 151,000 jobs and contributing over $24,000,000,000 in economic benefits to the Houston region.
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the city of Houston, Texas was first opened for operation on June 8, 1969. In 1997, it was named in honor of the Nation's 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush, a longtime resident of Houston who, as a Member of the Houston congressional delegation, was present at the 1969 opening of the airport. In 1990, the city of Houston named the IAH international arrivals building, now Terminal D, in honor of the distinguished Congressman for the 18th District of Texas, George Thomas ``Mickey'' Leland, a renowned antipoverty activist who died tragically in 1989 while on a humanitarian visit to Ethiopia.
IAH is the largest airport in Houston, serving over 43,000,000 passengers in 2008, is the 8th largest airport in the United States and the 16th largest in the world for total passengers served, with more than 700,000,000 people have passed through its gates since opening. Our airport has grown to become a world-class international gateway offering service to more than 109 domestic and 65 nonstop international destinations in over 32 countries, and today remains a regional and world leader in air cargo processing, consolidation, and distribution.
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston operates the largest passenger international arrivals facility in the Nation and was selected by the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security as the first ``Model Port'' for its efficiency in welcoming international passengers arriving in the United States.
Bush Intercontinental is located approximately 23 miles north of downtown Houston, near the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8 North). The airport is operated and maintained by the City of Houston Department of Aviation. The Houston Airport System functions as an enterprise fund and does not burden the local tax base for airport operations, maintenance or capital improvements. IAH currently ranks 3rd in the United States among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service (over 170 destinations). With more than 29 destinations in Mexico, IAH offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other U.S. airport. Furthermore, this airport is the 8th busiest airport in the U.S. for total passengers. For these reasons and more we ask for my colleagues to support this bill.
