Dear john,

Every 5 years, Congress must pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill to extend the agency's funding. As we vote in the House this week on the latest version of this legislation, I wanted to reach out to you for your thoughts.

Currently, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the only major airport in Washington, D.C., has a perimeter rule that only allows for flights less than 1,250 miles to arrive at the airport. Because El Paso falls outside of the boundary, El Pasoans and servicemembers from Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range need to take multiple flights to get to our nation's capital, resulting in a lengthier and more expensive travel process.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the DCA Act, which would allow certain exemptions for the existing perimeter on flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. With this in place, non-stop flights from El Paso International Airport to DCA could be created, facilitating travel to D.C. for our community and members of our military.