Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Free Market Flights Act of 2016”.
Free Market Flights Act of 2016
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to terminate the essential air service program, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Termination of essential air service program
In general— Subchapter II of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“41749. Termination of essential air service program
“(a) In general—The authority of the Secretary of Transportation to carry out the essential air service program under this subchapter shall terminate on October 1, 2016.
“(b) Use of fees for deficit reduction
“(1) In general—For fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2016, amounts credited to the account established under section 45303 from overflight fees authorized under section 45301(a)(1) that would otherwise be made available under section 41742 for obligation and expenditure to carry out the essential air service program under this subchapter shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury and shall be used for the sole purpose of deficit reduction.
“(2) Statutory construction—Paragraph (1) shall apply notwithstanding any provision of section 45303(c) that directs the amounts described in paragraph (1) to be made available for expenditure for activities of the Federal Aviation Administration.”
Clerical amendment— The analysis for chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 41748 the following: