Wright Amendment Photo Wright Amendment Floor Speech

Washington, Sep 29 -

Tonight U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3^rd Dist-Texas) urged the repeal of the Wright Amendment; the 1979 Wright Amendment restricts air travel from Dallas-Love Field to just a few states surrounding Texas.  The House will vote on a local compromise and Wright Repeal phase-out later this evening.

Johnson delivered the following statement on the floor of the U.S. House while standing next to a photo of seventies-era flight attendants.  Last May, Johnson introduced the Right to Fly Act.  The measure would immediately repeal the Wright Amendment.

“THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE LONE STAR STATE DELEGATION BACKING A BILL TO REPEAL THE OUTDATED WRIGHT AMENDMENT ONCE AND FOR ALL CAN ONLY BE CONSIDERED A MIRACLE OF GOD!  TODAY IS A VICTORY FOR FREEDOM AND FREE-ENTERPRISE. 

“BACK IN 1979 – CONGRESS CREATED A LAW TO PROTECT D.F.W. AIRPORT FROM COMPETITION IN DALLAS – CALLED THE WRIGHT AMENDMENT.  THAT WAS 1979.  PEOPLE HAD MOOD RINGS, RUBIC’S CUBES, SMILEY-FACE STICKERS, AND PET ROCKS.

“JUST LIKE THIS PICTURE - SO MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE 1979 – BUT THE WRIGHT AMENDMENT NEVER DID.  WHEN I FIRST CAME TO CONGRESS, IF YOU EVEN MENTIONED THE IDEA OF REPEALING THE WRIGHT AMENDMENT, PEOPLE WOULD JUST LAUGH IN DISBELIEF. 

“AS YOU KNOW, THE ENTRENCHED WRIGHT AMENDMENT RESTRICTS FLIGHTS FROM DALLAS LOVE FIELD TO JUST A FEW STATES BORDERING TEXAS…AND PEOPLE WERE NOT ABOUT TO TINKER WITH IT.

“TODAY’S DEBATE IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRACY AND HOW OUR FOUNDING FATHERS HOPED A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE WOULD OPERATE.   FOR TEXANS – AND THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, WE ARE MAKING HISTORY!

“I WANT TO COMMEND OFFICIALS IN NORTH TEXAS WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO CRAFT A LOCAL COMPROMISE THAT WORKS FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. 

“IT’S NOT PERFECT, AND IN MY OPINION IT DOESN’T DO THE JOB FAST ENOUGH, BUT IF THERE IS ONE THING I’VE LEARNED IN THE PEOPLE’S HOUSE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE TO GET A LITTLE.  HERE, COMPROMISE CAN SAVE THE DAY.

“IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO CAST MY VOTE TO END THE OUTDATED WRIGHT AMENDMENT ONCE AND FOR ALL.  IT’S DAYS LIKE TODAY WHEN I’M GENTLY REMINDED WHY DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM GO HAND IN HAND…AND MAKE AMERICA THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH!”