,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bihc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bd1 #bjah
 ,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself and ,mr4    
,wyden7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and 
,transportation  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend   
title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 to    
improve the essential air service       
program4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act   
may be cited as the ,defending          
,essential ,flights and ,ensuring       
,national ,security ,efforts 7,,defense7
 ,act of #bjah4  #b4 ,improving the     
essential air service program ,section  
#dagca of title #di1 ,united ,states    
,code1 is amended by adding at the end  
the following new subsection3  7g7      
,exception for certain locations with   
high military use ,subparagraph 7,d7 of 
subsection 7a77#a7 shall not apply with 
respect to any location that-- 7#a7 is  
certified under part #aci of title #ad1 
,code of ,federal ,regulations2  7#b7 is

 not owned by the ,federal government2  
and  7#c7 for which not less than #aj   
percent of airport operations in #bjag  
were by aircraft of the ,armed ,forces4 
4