Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I think I have an amendment, and this is the way to start off, that I think the entire House can support. The entire region supports this amendment on a bipartisan basis. I think Members are going to be hearing from the gentlemen from Virginia, Mr. Wolf and Mr. Davis, who had wanted to speak to it. It is noncontroversial because I think Members do not want to put any airport authority at a disadvantage. Section 49-108 requires only the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority to come back to Congress before receiving airport improvement funds and facility fees. These are always guaranteed, once appropriated. Many know that Dulles has a $2.4 billion construction project underway now as we go in and out. This provision to come back to Congress in September of 2004 puts at risk the funds to continue with that operation. The airport authority has an excellent bond rating and saves millions of dollars because of its bond rating, but the bond markets could read the unique treatment of this region negatively to mean that there is a risk of interruption of construction in progress.”