Political Quotes

“The Essential Air Service program, enacted in the wake of airline deregulation in 1978, ensures that smaller communities that were served by air carriers before deregulation continue to be served so that residents of these communities can access air travel. Nowhere is the Essential Air Service program more essential than in noncontiguous U.S. jurisdictions, like Puerto Rico, that are separate and distant from the U.S. mainland. The bill already passed by the other body would make reforms to the EAS program going forward, but would continue the program, in effect. The bill before us would phase out the EAS program by October 2013, but would expressly authorize the Secretary of Transportation, if he or she deems it appropriate, to continue the program beyond that date in the noncontiguous jurisdictions of Alaska and Hawaii. My amendment would provide the Secretary with the same reasonable discretion in the case of Puerto Rico. The sound arguments that militate in favor of allowing the Secretary this discretion with respect to Alaska and Hawaii apply with similar force with respect to Puerto Rico. {time} 1750 Like Alaska and Hawaii, Puerto Rico is a non-contiguous jurisdiction, separated by ocean from the U.S. mainland. Puerto Rico consists of multiple islands, three of which are home to resident populations and active airports: namely, the main island of Puerto Rico and the outer islands of Vieques and Culebra.…”