II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1425 

To give effect to the original agreement entered into by the cities of Dallas, 

Texas, and Fort Worth, Texas, to build a single airport to provide 

for the commercial air transportation needs of the region, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 19, 2005 

Mr. INHOFE (for himself and Mr. HARKIN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

A BILL

To give effect to the original agreement entered into by 

the cities of Dallas, Texas, and Fort Worth, Texas, to 

build a single airport to provide for the commercial air 

transportation needs of the region, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘True Competition 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that: 
2 

•S 1425 IS

1 (1) The Dallas/Fort Worth International Air2 port was constructed in 1974 to serve as the exclu3 sive airport providing all commercial air service 

4 needs of the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex. 

5 (2) At the explicit direction of the United 

6 States Civil Aeronautics Board, before obtaining fi7 nancing or beginning construction, the Cities of Dal8 las and Fort Worth agreed to consolidate all com9 mercial air service from all local airports at the new 

10 Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport facility. 

11 (3) The consolidation of all commercial air serv12 ice at one major airport is consistent with practices 

13 in numerous metropolitan areas throughout the 

14 country, and is considered to be sound transpor15 tation policy and a major factor in generating eco16 nomic growth for entire regions. 

17 (4) Despite the original agreement between 

18 Dallas and Fort Worth, which was absolutely essen19 tial to proceed with construction of the new airport, 

20 judicial and legislative challenges by an airline that 

21 refused to move to the new facility undercut the 

22 local consensus by permitting limited operations 

23 from the close-in Dallas Love Field to continue for 

24 the past 25 years. 
3 

•S 1425 IS

1 (5) Relying on the continued limited scope of 

2 Love Field, the communities recently embarked on a 

3 major $2,800,000,000 expansion of the Dallas/Fort 

4 Worth International Airport which has reached com5 pletion. 

6 (6) The current dire economics of the airline 

7 and airport businesses have put a severe strain on 

8 the finances and viability of the Dallas/Fort Worth 

9 International Airport and the carriers serving it, re10 sulting in substantial unused capacity and financial 

11 pressure that is exacerbated by the continued use of 

12 Dallas Love Field. 

13 (7) In contrast, there are virtually no capacity 

14 or facilities available at Love Field except for those 

15 controlled by one carrier that operates over 97 per16 cent of all the seats in and out of the airport. 

17 (8) In addition to economic, competitive, and 

18 transportation planning problems, air traffic control 

19 experts have expressed concern about air space con20 gestion generated by the close proximity of Love 

21 Field to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Air22 port. 

23 (9) Although not intended to be used for com24 mercial air service, Love Field remains an important 

25 resource for general aviation and business aircraft, 
4 

•S 1425 IS

1 which provide an important economic benefit to the 

2 Dallas/Fort Worth region. 

3 (10) In order to reduce air congestion problems, 

4 create a more efficient and viable air transportation 

5 system, and give full effect to the original agreement 

6 between the Cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, sched7 uled commercial air service at Love Field should be 

8 ended and the facilities made more broadly available 

9 to general aviation and business aircraft. 

10 SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF SCHEDULED PASSENGER AIR 

11 SERVICE AT LOVE FIELD. 

12 Effective on the date that is 3 years after the date 

13 of enactment of this Act, and notwithstanding any other 

14 provision of law, Love Field, located in Dallas, Texas, 

15 shall be ineligible to hold an airport operating certificate 

16 pursuant to part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal Regula17 tions. 

Æ