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Regional Aviation News
Small Community Air Program Gains Bipartisan Support
March 5, 2003
The Small Community Air Service pilot program is gaining bipartisan Senate support as lawmakers whose communities are losing airline service say they will push to fund the program in fiscal 2004. The program is not funded under the Administration’s FY 2004 budget. Commerce Committee Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), whose state stands to lose essential air service at four airports under the proposed cuts to the EAS budget, told The DAILY yesterday she would “absolutely” fight to fund the program in 2004. “It’s becoming more severe,” she said of the plight of small communities, noting that losing more air service “would be devastating.” Snowe said she would “fight to find the money” to keep the program going. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), who sits on Commerce through the appropriations process to restore funding.”
Commerce aviation subcommittee ranking member John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) vowed to fight to retain the program, which he called critical to maintaining air service to small communities. “It makes no sense to me that at a time when the aviation industry is struggling and cutting service in rural areas, the President would eliminate a program that has been successful in bringing flights to small communities,” he said. “This is yet another example of the Administration’s budget ignoring the needs of states like West Virginia.” –DM
Source: Aviation Daily, March 5, 2003
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