,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #abdd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #be1 #bjag
 ,mr4 ,schumer 7for ,ms4 ,hirono 7for   
herself1 ,mr4 ,sullivan1 ,mr4 ,schatz1  
and ,ms4 ,murkowski77 introduced the    
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to extend the             
authorization of appropriations for     
additional funds for the essential air  
service program4  #a4 ,short title ,this
 ,act may be cited as the ,keeping ,our 
,commitment to ,essential ,air ,service 
,act of #bjag4  #b4 ,findings ,congress 
makes the following findings3  7#a7 ,the
 intent of the ,airline ,deregulation   
,act of #aigh 7,public ,law #ie-ejd2 #ib
 ,stat4 #agje7 was to benefit consumers 
by expanding competition and allowing   
,united ,states air carriers greater    
ability to decide which destinations to 
serve and set pricing on airfares4  7#b7
 ,congress recognized that the intended 

benefits of deregulation may not reach  
all small communities1 so the ,airline  
,deregulation ,act of #aigh also        
authorized the essential air service    
program so that small communities would 
not lose air service or consumer choice 
if air carriers chose to serve the      
larger and more profitable markets4     
7#c7 ,according to the ,department of   
,transportation1 more than #agj         
communities in #ce ,states were served  
by the essential air service program in 
fiscal year #bjaf4  7#d7 ,without the   
essential air service program1 air      
service would be cost prohibitive in    
many smaller communities1 especially in 
,alaska and ,hawaii where air travel is 
often the only mode of transportation4  
7#e7 ,the essential air service program 
provides small communities greater      
consumer choice and a lifeline to       
essential goods and services such as    
medical care1 increases economic        
opportunity1 and attracts visitors and  
new businesses4  #c4 ,extension of      

authorization of appropriations for     
additional funds for essential air      
service program  ,section #dagdb7;a77#b7
 of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by striking and #bjag and      
inserting through #bjbb4