Evening star., 1950-08-17
New Airport Bill
Given Go-Ahead
ByHouse Group
Date Is Not Yet Set
For General Debate;
Minor Changes Made
By Harold B. Rogers

- NSSSaS
The House Rules Committee
today sent to the floor for action
legislation to authorize construc-
ton of a new $14 million civilian
airport in the Washington Met
tropolitan Area.
The committee granted a rule
for a one-hour general debate on
the measure. Amendments would
be received from the floor under
the rule.
How soon the measure will be
called up depends on the House
program and the policy of the
House leadership.
The bill, approved by the Sen
ate April 10, was amended in
technical detail by the House
Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce. which rec
commended it's passage. The
changes made in the Senate bill.
however, were minor.
CAA Would Built Field.
The airport would be built by
the Civil Aeronautics Administra-
ton, as provided in the Senate
bill sponsored by Senator john
son. Democrat, of Colorado. But
the House Commerce Committee
changed the bill to put the ulti-
mate authority in the hands OF
the Secretary of Commerce.
The Rules Committee paved the
way for House action on the bill
after an extensive hearing.
StresSing the need for the
measure were Chairman CroSSer
of the House Commerce Commit
tee; Chairman Beckworth OF the
subcommittee which held many
public hearings on the measure,
and Representative Harris, Demo-
crat. of Arkansas, author of a
House bill identical with the
johnson measure.
Congestion Pointed Out.
Advocates of the legislation de-
clared that a new commercial
airport is badly needed in the
area because of congestion in air
traffic at the Washington National
Airport.
Representative Smith, Democrat,
of Virginia, a member of the
Rules Committee, said that al
. though the measure does not
specify any particular site for the
airport, it was an open secret
that the place already selected is
in Fairfax County, Va.
Mr.. Smith questioned the adviS-
ability of establishing a new air.
port close to the national capital
because of emergency possibilities.
He also expressed disappointment
that the Commerce Committee
had not included in the bill a
provision he had suggested which
would require the CAA to confer
with residents of any area selected
for the new field.
Provision Not Included.
Representative Beckw worth
Democrat, of Texas, in reply, said
that such a specific provision had
never been included in any legis-
lation regarding selection Of an
airport site.
He further quoted from the
committee report showing that the
Civil Aeronautics Administrator,
D. w. Rented, already had con-
ferred with authorities in Virginia
and with people in the nearby
area. Furthermore, Mr.. Rented
promised to hold further confer
ences with residents affected, Mr..
Beckworth said.
Chairman SABBATH of the Rules
Committee, wanted to know
whether Congressional action
could be postponed until the CAA
officially selected the site.
To this, Mr.. Smith objected. He
said that if such procedure were
followed the cost of land in the
site selected would go up immedi-
ately.
At least five sites have been in
spected for the new field, Mr..
Beckworth said. An airplane flight
over the area was made by the
Beckworth subcommittee with Mr..
Rented, but it was understood
that a final decision had not been
reached.