Goodlatte & Conyers Lead Inquiry Into Foreign Airline Subsidies

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law Subcommittee Chairman Tom Marino (R-Pa.), and Ranking Member Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) led a letter signed by 15 additional Judiciary Committee Members to Secretary of State John Kerry and Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx expressing concerns over reported allegations of state-sponsored airlines receiving subsidies from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). If these allegations are true, the alleged subsidies could be in violation of existing “Open Skies Agreements” with Qatar and UAE. The letter raises serious concerns that foreign subsidies could distort the aviation market, which could leave American consumers, especially those in rural areas, with fewer options and higher prices.  The letter requests that Secretary Kerry and Secretary Foxx inquire into these allegations and report their findings to the House Judiciary Committee. The signed letter can be found here.