House committee approves Chicago airports bill

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has approved a bill that will keep Meigs Field open through 2025. The product of a historic agreement between Illinois Governor George Ryan and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, the National Aviation Capacity Expansion Act of 2002 (H.R.3479) will preserve Chicago's flagship GA airport Meigs Field for another 25 years, expand O'Hare International, and expedite the creation of a new airport at Peotone. "This is excellent news for everyone in the general aviation community," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "I hope the House leadership will bring this much-needed bill to the floor as soon as possible."

In the Senate, Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) has indicated that he will comply with the request of 61 senators who have asked that its version of the bill (S.2039) be brought to the Senate floor for a vote. Bill supporters in the Senate hope the 60-plus senators who support the bill will be enough to dissuade Senator Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) from attempting a filibuster.

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