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Week Ending September 30, 2005

S.1786 A bill to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to make emergency airport improvement project grants-in-aid under title 49, United States Code, for repairs and costs related to damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

BRIEF

  The bill would authorize the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to airports or States for repair of damages due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

   The grants would come from appropriated but thus far un-obligated funds. Public use airports part of the Integrated Airport System in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas qualify. Grants may also be given to mitigate costs of emergency operating costs of those airports.

   The priority projects anticipated included airport development, terminal development, repair or replacement of facilities and the emergency operating costs.

   The bill specifies that the US government share of the projects will be 100%.

Sponsor: Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent September 28, 2005

Cost to the taxpayers: Funds are already appropriated. Amount of spending will be determined by the number and size of the projects seeking funding. Unofficial cost estimates place the spending at $187 million.

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