Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I wish to thank my colleagues for their work on the Reagan National perimeter rule issue. Last week, I sat down with…”

“I wish to thank my colleagues for their work on the Reagan National perimeter rule issue. Last week, I sat down with several interested colleagues in an effort to try to find a path forward on this issue, and the result is the modified Ensign amendment before us. I wish to say a few words about the intent of the amendment. I sympathize with the concerns of my friend from Virginia, Senator Warner, who is also a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and our colleague, Senator Webb. While in a somewhat different position in the past, I have had similar issues raised concerning my home State of Texas with Love Field and DFW Airport, and I recognize the impact of dealing with the decision to change the status quo. It is difficult. I also recognize the views of western State Senators concerned about the few opportunities for their constituents to have direct access to Reagan National Airport. There are now only 12 flights a day. That really should be expanded, but it needs to be expanded in a way that does not have the harmful effects on National and the Virginia residents who live in and around the airport. With that in mind, I think we have come up with a compromise proposal that meets the concerns of the western State colleagues and others, as well as addressing the concerns of the Virginia Senators.”