Nelson's Ineffectivess In Washington Harms Nebraska's Economic Development

Omaha, Neb. - Last week, the House and Senate presented legislation to President Bush repealing the Wright Amendment immediately for eight states, and in eight years for the rest of the nation. The Wright Amendment limits direct flights to and from Love Field in Texas, the operations hub of low-cost Southwest Airlines. Nebraska is one of the forty-two states that will have to wait eight years for lower cost flights.

"President Bush is expected to soon sign legislation that will allow Southwest Airlines to provide low-cost flights to eight additional states by repealing the so-called Wright Amendment which limits flights to and from Southwest's home aviation hub at Love Field, Texas. Nebraska is one of the states that will have to wait eight years to benefit from this repeal" said Ricketts. Ben Nelson is the only member of the Nebraska Congressional Delegation not to sponsor or co-sponsor legislation to repeal the Wright Amendment's restrictions on Nebraska."

"In July, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee passed legislation changing the Wright Amendment to allow more direct flights from Love Field in Texas to Midwestern states. Despite serving on the Commerce Committee's Aviation Subcommittee, Nelson was unable to get Nebraska included in the list of eight states exempted from the Wright Amendment. Nelson's inability to work with Republicans and Democrats on his own committee cost Nebraskans the opportunity for cheaper airline flights on Southwest Airlines, and Nebraska is now one of the forty-two states that will have to wait eight more years to gain these benefits. Not only was Nelson unable to help Nebraska on this important issue, he actually refused to exert any leadership on this, because it is ‘a Texas issue,' according to his spokesman.

"Ben Nelson's position on the subcommittee with primary authority over the Wright Amendment put him in an ideal position to help Nebraska's economic development. His failure of leadership on this issue demonstrates that Nelson is ineffective, unable, and unwilling to even work within his own party, or own committees, on issues of critical importance to Nebraska. This ineffectiveness is just one more reason he does not deserve re-election."

http://www.petericketts.com/full_press.asp?press_id=87