(PartiallyPolitics.com) – House Republicans have assisted the Democrats in completely blocking a Republican amendment that would have affected 25 million passengers by increasing the number of flights at the Washington Reagan National Airport. This would concern flights to and from Washington, D.C., which are usually used by lawmakers.
On Wednesday, during the House vote on over 100 amendments on the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill, lawmakers opted to vote against the adoption of the amendment that would have given each of the airlines working at the Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) one new slot, a total of seven slot allocations. The airport is located just outside of the city and it is usually used by Congress members flying in and out of Washington, D.C.
In a final vote, 55 Republicans and 174 Democrats banded together to vote against this amendment which had been introduced by 10 House Republicans. The seven new round-trip slots that would have been allocated would be given to each of the airlines that are operating at that airport. The DCA is the only airport where there are federal restrictions on the number of daily flights that are allowed.
The D.C. metro area had four of its senators (D) oppose the amendment claiming that Republican lawmakers were attempting to micromanage air traffic in an attempt to make it more convenient for those working in Congress to travel. However, as they pointed out regular everyday travelers would suffer because of this amendment.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine told Punchbowl news that lawmakers should not be messing with airports and that the convenience of a few lawmakers at the expense of 25 million passengers yearly does not make sense.
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