CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: Intergovernmental Relations Council Committee
FROM: Jeff Coyle, Director of Government & Public Affairs
SUBJECT: Federal Legislative Update - SAT to DCA
Government and Public Affairs Staff will provide an update on the recent Congressional action on the FAA Reauthorization and efforts to obtain a nonstop flight between San Antonio International Airport and Reagan Washington National Airport.
Earlier this year Congress expanded the FAA authorization extension from March 31 until the end of September 2018. After this expansion in March, Congressman Bill Shuster, Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, dropped his controversial attempt to reform and privatize air traffic control, clearing the path for the House of Representatives to consider a long-term FAA reauthorization.
A bipartisan coalition of Texas and California members sponsored an amendment to the FAA bill that would have allowed airlines to swap four within the DCA perimeter slots to beyond the perimeter slots to serve new markets with significant military presence. After considerable advocacy, on April 24 the House Rules Committee allowed the amendment to proceed for consideration on the House floor. The Committee considered 254 amendments, and the perimeter slot amendment was one of just 116 proposed amendments allowed to proceed, despite opposition by Virginia area and Maryland representatives and United Airlines.
On April 26 the FAA reauthorization bill, H.R. 4, was brought to the floor of the House of Representatives for discussion and votes on 116 proposed amendments to the bill. Significant opposition by United Airlines, American Airlines, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and airline industry union, continued on April 26. The bill sponsors, in coordination with Mayor Nirenberg and city staff, decided to pull the amendment as there appeared to be insufficient votes to pass the amendment. A negative vote would limit future options to pass the proposed amendment. On April 27 the full House passed the bill by a vote of 393 to 13.
The Senate version of the FAA reauthorization has been referred to the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. The Senate must act well before the September 2018 deadline if Congress intends to pass a long-term reauthorization.