Essential Air Service (EAS), administered by the Department of Transportation (DOT), is an important part of southwest Missouri. This program allows for smaller communities, like Joplin, to have a certain number of roundtrip flights each week at a lower rate.
The DOT recently reselected American Airlines to continue to provide EAS at the Joplin Regional Airport through Feb. 28, 2019.
Over the years, this program has attracted many individuals and businesses to southwest Missouri. Without this program, the Joplin airport would likely have no commercial air service.
Since its operations began, the EAS program at the Joplin airport has proven to be quite successful. With an increase in passenger traffic, American Airlines alone has more than quadrupled their passenger traffic, which has resulted in a significant decrease in subsidy. Under the new contract, depending on what type of aircraft is used, the annual subsidy will be either $395,899 or $839,513.
I understand a program like this might be perceived as not needed or useful, but when you live in rural areas, like those in southwest Missouri, programs like these can benefit individuals with limited resources that otherwise might not be able to fly.
Though the President’s proposed budget eliminates this program, a proposed budget is just that, a proposed budget. There will always be items in a budget that people agree and disagree on. Eliminating EAS funding just happens to be one of those things I disagree on.
I will continue to work on behalf of my constituents to ensure that this program is not eliminated from the budget. With Missouri’s 7th Congressional District being predominately rural, I understand the value of a program like this.
11 comments:
Oh no Billy...don't get too upset. You never use this airport. You only like direct flights to Vegas!!
Republicans are for cutting the budget unless its pork for their districts. If private enterprise has to be bribed to do it, maybe it shouldn't be done.
Hope he can save the EAS money for Joplin. Losing commercial air travel would hurt bigly.
Longiswrong!
Most people fly out of Tulsa or Springfield anyway. Save the money.
The airport has been a loser for years. Why Joplin when Spgfield or Fayetteville is only a short drive away and has more direct flights. Another thing is money to Pittsburg, Carthage, Neosho, and all these smaller airports getting funding just so private airplane owners have something close. If they want an airport in backyard they can pay. We need bridges, road maintenance and schools much more than more than little tiny worthless airports. Joplin has been sucking money forever and even worse since the tornado. Area is mostly republican and they have their hand out like beggars or a welfare queen who they despise to the utmost. Wake up and pay for it yourself if you want something.
Blubba Long could care less about the Joplin airport, I suspect John F. Kennedy has been to the local airport more than Blubba. Blubba doesn't care if local seniors are screwed by the budget, with the communistic Meals on Wheels being defunded, but don't take his pork from him. Porky Pig Long won't stand up to Trump, he will just tell his constituents, "Ble, ble, ble, That's all folks!"
Shut that airport welfare down!
Stop wasting money on airports and public broadcasting and\ pubic education start and start building that wall!
If Billy Long doesn't start paying attention and deliver what the voters want then he will be voted out of office and the people can have a real patriot like Sam Brownback represent them!
Billy Long IS the pork in this district. He better watch out going against Trumpenfuhrer's wishes. He could end up not getting to the buffet on time. Who cares about cutting funding for Meals on Wheels. According to the Trumpenfuhrer's White House budget director, and I quote, “We can’t spend money on programs just because they sound good. And great, Meals on Wheels sounds great. Again, that’s a state decision to fund that particular portion, to take the federal money and give it to the states, and say look, we want to give you money for programs that don’t work. I can’t defend that anymore. We cannot defend that anymore.” No, but we can spend millions a month on your so-called presidents golf outings, paying for his worthless children to promote his businesses world wide, pay for his wife and son to stay in New York. How long will it take for this ignorant party before country fool to see that his party is destroying this country? We are becoming the laughing stock of the planet. Get 'em there Boss Hog. Hopefully this will be your last term.
Billy "Boss Hog" Long and Sam "Brownturd" Brownback are retarded twins of different mothers. That's what the National Enquirer said. We all know that is the White House's manifesto.
"programs like these can benefit individuals with limited resources that otherwise might not be able to fly."
Driving to KC or OKC is still cheaper than flying Joplin.
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