Supporting Middle America’s Airports Act

Bill: 118-hr-2467
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9]
Introduced: 2023-04-03
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Latest action: action_date: 2023-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-04-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Supporting Middle America's Airports Act</b></p> <p> This bill modifies the eligibility requirements for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program to allow additional communities to apply for assistance. The EAS program was established to ensure that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 would continue to receive scheduled passenger service. </p> <p>Under current law, new communities have generally not been permitted to enter the program since October 1 2012, unless they are located in Alaska or Hawaii. The bill removes this restriction and allows DOT to accept new applications for a three-year period. After the three-year period, DOT may only compensate an air carrier for the provision of essential air service to a place if the place previously received essential air service under the program. </p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2467 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 3, 2023 Mr. Meuser (for himself and Mr. Trone ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify the eligibility requirements for the essential air service program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting Middle America’s Airports Act . 2. Essential air service Section 41731 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1)— (A) subparagraph (B) by inserting and at the end; and (B) by striking subparagraph (D); (2) in subsection (c) by striking Subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) of subsection (a)(1) and inserting Subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (a)(1) and subsection (g) ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (g) Limitation on eligible places Beginning on the day that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary may only provide compensation to an air carrier under this subchapter for the provision of essential air service to a place if, at any time before such day, the place received essential air service under this subchapter. .