Lawmakers Continue to Oppose New DCA Flights
Maryland’s 5th District Congressman Steny H. Hoyer and other representatives from the National Capital Region continued their opposition to the latest Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that includes the addition of five new round-trip flights at DCA.
“National is home to the busiest runway in America. The airport is designed to serve 15 million passengers annually. Last year, it served 24 million. That is 9 million passengers, or 60 percent, over capacity. The airport has the third highest flight cancellation rate in the country, and one in every five flights is delayed by more than an hour. [On April 18], two aircraft nearly collided in a frightening near-miss incident. Any additional flights that are added to DCA will worsen delays, exacerbate pilot and flight crew exhaustion, and risk the safety of flights in and out of National Airport. The House understood that when we resoundingly defeated an effort to add more flights last year. For the safety of all who fly in and out of our nation’s capital, the Senate must change course. Safety, not convenience, must come first,” reads the lawmakers’ statement.
The representatives joining Congressman Hoyer are Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Don Beyer (VA-08), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).
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For more information about Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, visit his Leader member page.
