Aug. 07--The future of rural Montana air service could be in for a bumpy ride when Congress returns to work next month.
Federally subsidized commercial flights to four Montana communities were on the chopping block as the U.S. House of Representatives wrapped up its final days of July work before returning home for August break.
At issue was where to set the cutoff for Essential Air Service per-ticket subsidies. Currently, any rural community needing a subsidy greater than $1,000 is cut from the program. House Republicans wanted to lower that subsidy cap to $500, a move that would cut Essential Air Service to Glendive, Glasgow, Havre and Wolf Point. Sidney was the only Montana community under the cap.
EAS funding is part of the Transportation and House and Urban Development bill that was pulled from a vote July 31 after Republican leadership realized it didn't have the 218 votes needed to pass.
Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., indicated the "THUD" bill will be taken up after August break.
There was a push by conservative Republicans to eliminate EAS entirely, which failed, and an unsuccessful attempt to lower the cap to $250, which would have ended all Essential Air Service in Montana.
Turbulent debate over EAS funding is nothing new. Briefly in 2008, the service stopped in Montana, though the communities who receive it argue they're cut off and economically disadvantaged without commercial flights at least to Billings where connections to major airlines can be made.
Critics of the Essential Air Service say it's flying pork.
Taxpayers for Common Sense singled out Montana last month as a state where the current per-passenger cap of $1,000 should have been an example of Congress restraining spending.
Miles City and Lewistown were cut from EAS for not meeting the current cap. Instead, the new airline bids to serve the remaining five Montana EAS towns will cost $3 million more than service to the old seven.
U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said EAS is needed in rural Montana. The debate over the service illustrates the understanding gap between rural and urban America.
"No matter what issue you pick, whether it's Essential Air Service, the farm bill, you see a common thread here in the divide between those who represent rural areas and those who represent urban areas," Daines said.
Federal spending has to be cut, Daines said, but rural Montana shouldn't bear the brunt of those cuts. The congressman voted against the amendment to lower the subsidy cap to $250 and also against eliminating EAS. There was an amendment to shield Hawaii and Alaska air service from the subsidy cap. That proposal passed without Daines' support.
In the Senate, where it appeared Democratic leadership opposed clipping EAS's wings, the THUD bill also failed to take off before August break. Senate Republicans calling for deeper cuts launched a successful filibuster. Democrats needed 60 supporting votes to end the filibuster, but received 54. Only one Republican voted for the bill in the Senate when it failed Aug. 1.
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said Essential Air Service is important for Montana's economy, especially agriculture and the Bakken oil field, which as early as October could benefit from five roundtrips to Billings daily under a new EAS contract in the works. Tickets for an 80-minute trip would cost less than $50. Baucus and other rural lawmakers calling themselves the Essential Air caucus have turned back several attempts to eliminate the program over the last few years.
"Montana jobs depend on reliable transportation. And the towns that rely on Essential Air Service are the same towns America relies on to produce our energy and grow our food," Baucus said. "Essential Air Service is an investment worth making. I'll keep fighting to protect the Montana communities and jobs that rely on Essential Air Service."
Copyright 2013 - Billings Gazette, Mont.
