PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 1, 2003
Essential Air Service Eligibility Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends Federal transportation law to revise eligibility requirements with respect to the provision of essential air service subsidies to communities in the 48 contiguous States to prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from providing such assistance to a community that is less than 70 miles from the nearest hub airport or requires a rate of subsidy per passenger in excess of $200, unless such community is greater than 210 miles from the nearest hub airport. Repeals specified provisions of Federal laws with respect to such eligibility requirements. Authorizes a community in which the Secretary has eliminated subsidies or terminated subsidy eligibility (between September 30, 1993, and the enactment of this Act) under specified Federal laws to request the Secretary to review such action. Requires the Secretary after receiving a request for a review to: (1) determine whether the community would have been subject to such elimination of subsidies or termination of eligibility under the distance requirements provided in this Act; and (2) issue a final order with respect to the eligibility of such community for essential air service subsidies under the amended requirements of this Act.
People & committees
Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · R–PA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5666-5667)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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