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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Pierluisi Reiterates His Support For The Essential Air Services Program

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- The Resident Commissioner, Pedro Pierluisi, today reiterated his pledge to work to preserve the federal Essential Air Services (EAS) program, which subsidizes airline service at Mercedita Airport in Ponce and Eugenio María de Hostos (“El Mani”) Airport in Mayagüez. Pierluisi noted that he is engaged in conversations with the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, John Mica (R-FL), to this end.

At the beginning of April, the House Committee on Rules accepted for consideration an amendment offered by the Resident Commissioner to an underlying House bill, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011, that would phase out the EAS program by October 2013, but would authorize the Secretary of Transportation to continue the program in Alaska and Hawaii beyond that date.

The amendment filed by Pierluisi would add Puerto Rico to the list of jurisdictions where the EAS program can be continued past 2013.

Because of the Resident Commissioner’s amendment, Chairman Mica pledged on the record to work with Pierluisi to address the importance of the EAS program in Puerto Rico when the House and Senate meet in conference to reconcile the bills approved by each chamber.

“I feel confident that the EAS program will continue in Puerto Rico. This program is of great importance to my constituents, especially those who reside in Ponce and Mayagüez,” said the Resident Commissioner.

“We will continue fighting to ensure the survival of this program. Several weeks ago, I—along with a number of my House colleagues from both political parties—sent a letter to Chairman Mica and the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Nick Rahall (D-WV), expressing support for continuing the EAS program nationally, including in Puerto Rico,”added Pierluisi.

In addition to his efforts related to the EAS program, the Resident Commissioner offered an amendment, which was approved by the House, that ensures that Puerto Rico’s 11 public- use airports will be treated equally to airports in the States with regards to both formula and discretionary funding allocated by the federal government under the Airport Improvement Program. These funds are used to maintain and upgrade airports across the country.