| Offices : Beckley • Charleston • Fairmont • Martinsburg • Washington, DC | E-mail Senator Rockefeller |
March 15, 2000
HOUSE AND SENATE BOTH APPROVE MAJOR AVIATION BILL, ROCKEFELLER SAYS PRESIDENT LIKELY TO SIGN SOON
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), the highest ranking Democrat on the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, said today that the Federal Aviation Administration bill, which will provide millions of dollars for West Virginia airports, is likely to become law in the near future. The House passed the bill today by a 319 to 101 vote, and the Senate passed the bill last Wednesday with a 82 to 17 vote. The Senator said that the White House has been very positive about the bill and he expects the President to sign it when he returns from his overseas trip.
Rockefeller, who served on the committee that negotiated the final version of the bill, commented, "With House passage today, the aviation bill is all but a done deal. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill last week, and I am very hopeful that President will sign the bill into law in the near future. This was an important, bipartisan effort to improve air safety, reduce congestion, and take meaningful steps to create better service in small communities."
"Every airport and air traveler in West Virginia will benefit from this bill," Rockefeller continued. "Six airports will have their guaranteed funding for improvements doubled to at least $1 million, while every other airport will get tens of thousands of dollars in entirely new, guaranteed funding. Just as important as the funding, the bill creates new incentives to get airlines to come to our state, removes barriers that inhibit competition, and helps to preserve the air service that we already have."
The six airports that will receive guaranteed improvement funds of at least $1 million are: Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Lewisburg and Morgantown.
E-mail Senator Rockefeller | Click here for more contact information.