Congressman Lamborn sponsors bill designed to help Colorado Springs Airport

Congressman Doug Lamborn has introduced legislation that is designed to help small airports across the county. The 21st Century Small Community Air Service Development Program Act will update the eligibility requirements for Department of Transportation grants that are used to expand service at smaller airports across the country. The current small community air service development grants only go to airports that are considered small hubs by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1997. The grants typically range from $100,000 to $900,000. The new bill eliminates that current requirement. Airports that would benefit from the legislation include: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Tucson, Louisville, Reno-Tahoe, Will Rogers in Oklahoma, Tulsa and Guam. “It is important that our aviation laws reflect the most current status of our airports,” said Rep. Lamborn. “The Colorado Springs Airport is a fantastic facility that is making real strides of progress. My hope is that this legislation is one more tool that will allow the Colorado Springs Airport to continue its transformation and add more air service to our region.” Rep. Lamborn will be discussing the bill on the upper level of the Colorado Springs Airport at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat from Texas.