DCA Act

Bill: 118-s-1933
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
Introduced: 2023-06-13
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Direct Capital Access Act or the DCA Act</strong></p><p>This bill increases the number of daily round-trip flights allowed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).</p><p>Specifically, this bill adds 56 new slots at DCA to allow for 28 additional daily round-trip flights. (Airlines flying to and from DCA are subject to slot and perimeter rules set by federal law and regulation. The slot rules determine the total number of flight slots that can be handled in a given time period. In addition, a statutory perimeter rule limits nonstop flights to a 1,250-mile radius unless they are granted an exemption in law.)</p><p>Current law limits DCA to a maximum of 67 hourly slots for flights both within- and beyond-perimeter; a round-trip flight serving DCA requires two slots (or a slot pair). Of those slots, 40 daily slots are exempt from the perimeter rule.</p><p>Under the bill's slot increase, operations at DCA may not increase by more than eight flights per hour.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1933 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 13, 2023 Mr. Warnock (for himself and Ms. Lummis ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To enhance flight options for consumers flying to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Direct Capital Access Act or the DCA Act . 2. Additional within and beyond perimeter slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (a) Increase in number of slot exemptions Section 41718 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (i) Additional slot exemptions (1) Increase in slot exemptions Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall grant, by order, 56 exemptions from— (A) the application of sections 49104(a)(5), 49109, and 41714 to air carriers to operate limited frequencies and aircraft on routes between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and airports located within or beyond the perimeter described in section 49109; and (B) the requirements of subparts K, S, and T of part 93, Code of Federal Regulations. (2) Incremental DCA slot allocations (A) In general Of the slot exemptions made available under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make 40 available to incumbent air carriers qualifying for status as a non-limited incumbent carrier and 16 available to incumbent carriers qualifying for status as a limited incumbent carrier at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as of the date of enactment of this subsection. (B) Air carrier requirements An air carrier granted a slot exemption made available under paragraph (1)— (i) may operate up to a maximum of 8 of the newly authorized slot exemptions; (ii) shall have sole discretion concerning the use of an exemption made available under paragraph (1), including the initial or any subsequent within or beyond perimeter destinations to be served; and (iii) shall file a notice of intent with the Secretary and subsequent notices of intent, when appropriate, to inform the Secretary of any change in circumstances concerning the use of any exemption made available under paragraph (1). (3) Notices of intent Notices of intent under paragraph (2)(B)(iii) shall specify the within or beyond perimeter destinations to be served. (4) Conditions Flight operations carried out by an air carrier using an exemption granted under this subsection shall be subject to the following conditions: (A) An air carrier granted an exemption under this subsection is prohibited from transferring the rights to its slot exemptions pursuant to section 41714(j). (B) The exemptions granted under subsection (2)— (i) may not be for operations between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; and (ii) may not increase the number of operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in any 1-hour period during the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 9:59 p.m. by more than 8 operations. . (b) Conforming amendments Section 41718 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (c)(2)— (A) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (i), by inserting or (i)(2) after (g)(2) ; and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking and (g) and inserting (g), and (i) ; and (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting or (i)(2) after (g)(3) ; and (2) in subsection (h)(1), by inserting or (i) after subsection (g) . (c) Preservation of existing within-Perimeter air service In recognition of the importance of preserving air service, as it exists on the date of enactment of this section, between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and within-perimeter airports and communities, this section and the amendments made by this section shall not be construed as authorizing any limited incumbent or non-limited incumbent air carrier holding slots or slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as of the date of enactment of this subsection to use an existing within-perimeter slot to serve an airport beyond the perimeter described in section 49109 of title 49, United States Code.