Evening star., 1955-07-30
Senate Group
Tells. Weeks, 10
Start Airport
Reuffirms View
Prime Responsibility
Rests With U. S.
BIZ FRANCIs P. DOUGLAS

secretary OF sConlluerCe weeks
had directions from the Senate
Commerce Committee today to
go ahead and start building a
second airport to serve the Dis
trict area.
The committee also reaffirmed
its opinion of almost five years
ago that construction of the air.
port is primarily a Federal re-
sponsibility."
This was the answer to the
Commerce Departments propn-
sal that the Government put up
half the cost of an additional
airport.
The department also proposed
that 1t be built by an interstate
airport authority. which would
finance its operations by issuing
revenue bonds.
The Commerce Committee did
not rule out such an authority
But it put it on an "if" basis.
Require Site Selection
Senator Monroney, Democrat
of Oklahoma, chairman of the
Airport subcommittee Of the
Commerce Committee, SUBJ
mitted its report to the Senate
last night. The report had been
approved by the full committee
with the exception of Senator
Butler, Republican Of Maryland.
The report recommended that
the Secretary of Commerce re-
1port on the first day OF the next
session giving in detail:
/. The site selected for the
airport.
2. The stage of construction
plans.
8. The composition Of the
authority. if any, he recon-
mends to finance and operate
the airport"
4. The amount he will re-
quest "in the first deficiency
appropriation for 1856 to COM
plete land acquisition and to
proceed with the engineering
survey and initial develop
ment."
Delay for Authority Seen
While asking for the Secre-
tary's proposal about an airport
authority. the committee said II
believes forming such an author
| ity will require at least five
years and presents many diff
culties."
But it said a start on the air.
port would not preclude an air.
port authority from being formed
later.
The committee said it is the
Secretary's responsibility to de-
eide whether to proceed with
the site selected earlier near
Burke, Va, or to select another
site. It said appropriation Of
So million would be enough to
buy the land and complete engi-
neering surveys and construction
plans.
Improvements to the Wash
Iington National Airport are
needed, the committee said, add
ing that even with such i'm
lprovements the airport will not
meet the needs for more than
two years.
"Any increase in the flights
scheduled into the existing air.
port the committee statement
declared, will result in delays
and cancellations and with the
ever increased danger of catas-
trophe whenever an airport is
operating in such an over
crowded manner"
Unsuitable for Big Jets
| It also pointed to expert testi-
mony that the present airport
could not accommodate heavy
Jet transports to be expected In
the next few years.
Abiding to the Commerce De-
partment's position there should
be local financial participation in
building a new airport, the
statement said:
"In the opinion of most men,
bers of the committee, the Sec
retary fails to recognize that
Washington would not be the
third busiest passenger air term
inal If it were not the site of the
Federal Government with the
tremendous air traffic demands
created by those who must deal
with Government and are asso-
ciated with it."