# I. RESOLUTION OF THE DCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

### May 1, 2015 RESTORING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD THROUGH OPEN SKIES POLICY

WHEREAS, the Downriver Community Conference (DCC), a consortium oftwenty Downriver communities in Wayne Countywhose total population is approximately 500,000, has joined in an effortto improve local government and enhancethe quality of life forarea residents through municipal cooperation; and WHE;REAS, for decades Open Skies agreements have brought great benefits to U.S. travelers, U.S. airlines and the U.S. economy by creating a framework for competitive, fair market air travel between countries; and WHEREAS, Wayne County plays hostto Detroit MetropolitanAirport (DlW)which is critical to our business development and economic growth, with DeltaAirlines offering over465 daily flights to 125 destinations and being one ofthe ourcountry's largest employerswith 7,500 Deltajobs at DTWand 10,000jobs including Delta carrier connections throughoutthe state; and WHEREAS, the economic impact ofthe commercial airline industry in Michigan is close to $18 billion in statewide economic activity and over $210 million in annual tax revenue for the State ofMichigan; and WHEREAS, American companies and U.S. carriers do bestwhen they can compete in an open and fair marketthat promotes a level playing field for all; and WHEREAS, the natiqns ofQatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have violated Open Skies policy byfunneling over $40 billion in government subsidies and other unfair benefits to their state-owned airlines (QatarAirways, Etihad Airways and Emirates Airline), distorting the international aviation market and undermining fair competition; and WHEREAS, these subsidies pose a directthreatto the U.S. airline industry, threatening Downriver communityjobs, and thousands ofAmericanjobs where as at least 800 U.S. jobs would be lost pereach roundtrip international flight losttothese carriers; and WHEREAS, unfair competition from the Gulf carriers could have negative economic impact on American carriers that could lead to the elimination offlights and routes to mid-sized and smallerAmerican cities; and WHEREAS, the governments of Qatar and UAE have banned unions and suppress the rights oftheir employees, saving theircarriers billions ofdollarsfrom below-market laborcosts; and WHEREAS, Congress members Walberg, Upton, Huizenga, Conyers, Trott, Lawrence, Benishek, Levin, Moolenaar, Bishop, Dingell, Kildee, Miller and other elected officials across Michigan, the Airline Pilots Association International, the Association of Flight Attendants, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, Communications Workers ofAmerica, the International Brotherhood ofTeamsters, and the Transport Workers Union ofAmerica are in support ofconsultations.

### RESOLUTION
- RESTORING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD THROUGH THE OPEN SKIES POLICY Page 2- May 7, 2015

NOWTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Downriver Community Conference Board of Directors, representing 20 member communities, urges the U.S. Government and the Departments of State, Transportation, and Commerce, to initiate consultations with Qatar and the UAE as provided for within the Open Skies agreementsto addressthis issue; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Downriver Community Conference Board of Directors also asks the U.S. Government to request a freeze on new capacity from the Gulf carriers to the U.S. while these consultations are going forward.

CERTIFICATION The undersigned duly qualified Board Secretary ofthe Downriver Community Conference certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted at a legally convened meeting of the 

### Board of

### the Downriver Community Conference held on

**~7.** 

### 2015. and that said resolution has not beenrescinded. 

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# DAVIDA. GLAAB.......' 

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