Essential Air Service Reform Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2466 To amend title 49, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Transpor- tation to consider the cost of providing basic essential air service when selecting applicants for the essential air service program, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 3, 2023 Mr. MEUSER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend title 49, United States Code, to require the Sec- retary of Transportation to consider the cost of providing basic essential air service when selecting applicants for the essential air service program, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Essential Air Service 4 Reform Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. BASIC ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE. 6 Section 41732(b) of title 49, United States Code, is 7 amended— 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Apr 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2466.IH H2466 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 2466 IH (1) by striking paragraph (5); and 1 (2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para- 2 graph (5). 3 SEC. 3. AVAILABILITY OF COMPENSATION. 4 Section 41733(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, 5 is amended— 6 (1) in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘, giving 7 substantial weight to the views of the elected offi- 8 cials representing the users’’; 9 (2) in subparagraph (E) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 10 the end; 11 (3) in subparagraph (F) by striking the period 12 at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’ ’’ and 13 (4) by adding at the end the following: 14 ‘‘(G) the overall cost of the bid submitted by 15 the applicant to provide basic essential air service to 16 the eligible place.’’. 17 SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS. 18 Upon entering into an essential air service contract 19 with an air carrier under subchapter II of chapter 417 20 of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary of Transpor- 21 tation shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 22 and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and 23 the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 24 of the Senate a notification that the Secretary has entered 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Apr 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2466.IH H2466 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 2466 IH into such contract and an explanation for awarding such 1 contract. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Apr 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2466.IH H2466 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB