Rep. Hudson Introduces Bill to Cut Taxes on Air Travelers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2014

Rep. Hudson Introduces Bill to Cut Taxes on Air Travelers

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08), Chairman of the Transportation Security Subcommittee, introduced H.R. 5462, a bill to limit the fees charged to passengers of air carriers and clarify Congressional intent.

“Americans can’t afford excessive burdens from Washington’s heavy taxing hand, yet federal taxes for a flight are higher than taxes on alcohol and tobacco. Rolling back aviation user fees and reducing taxes on airline passengers benefits everyone – from helping families save money when taking a vacation to cutting costs for our small businesses whose employees travel for work,” said Rep. Hudson.

“Despite the intent of Congress to simplify the fee structure, TSA misinterpreted the language and has begun collecting additional fees, above and beyond the increase authorized, by eliminating the cap on fees for round trip travel. This regulatory change will significantly increase fees for some air passengers, especially those who must take multiple flights to get to their final destination, such as those in small, rural communities. I remain committed to finding commonsense solutions that reduce taxes and make air travel more accessible, leading to more frequent trips, increased tourism and more dollars invested in our local economies.”

“TSA should not collect additional passenger security fees beyond what Congress has authorized. H.R. 5462 is common-sense, bipartisan legislation to clarify the fee structure that Congress intended and protect the traveling public from excess charges on their flights. I applaud Subcommittee Chairman Hudson for his leadership on this issue,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (TX-10), Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.