PUBLIC LAW 104-264—OCT. 9, 1996 110 STAT. 3283 (6) without immediate action by Congress to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration's financial needs are met, air travelers' confidence in the system could be undermined. (b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.— It is the sense of the Senate that there should be an immediate enactment of an 18-month reinstatement of the aviation excise taxes to provide short-term funding for the Federal Aviation Administration. SEC. 1213. RURAL AIR FARE STUDY. (a) IN GENERAL. —The Secretary shall conduct a study to— (1) compare air fares paid (calculated as both actual and adjusted edr fares) for air transportation on flights conducted by commercial air carriers— (A) between— (i) nonhub airports located in small communities; and (ii) large hub airports; and (B) between large hub airports; (2) analyze— (A) the extent to which passenger service that is provided from nonhub airports is provided on— (i) regional commuter commercial air carriers; or (ii) major air carriers; (B) the type of aircraft employed in providing passenger service at nonhub airports; and (C) whether there is competition among commercial air carriers with respect to the provision of air service to passengers from nonhub airports. (b) FINDINGS. —The Secretary shall include in the report of the study conducted under subsection (a) findings concerning— (1) whether passengers who use commercial air carriers to and from rural areas (as defined by the Secretary) pay a disproportionately greater price for that transportation than passengers who use commercial air carriers between urban areas (as defined by the Secretary); (2) the nature of competition, if any, in rural markets (as defined by the Secretary) for commercial air carriers; (3) whether a relationship exists between higher air fares and competition among commercial air carriers for passengers traveling on jet aircraft from small communities (as defined by the Secretary) and, if such a relation exists, the nature of that relationship; (4) the number of small communities that have lost air service as a result of the deregulation of commercial air carriers with respect to air fares; (5) the number of small communities served by airports with respect to which, after commercial air carrier fares were deregulated, jet aircraft service was replaced by turboprop aircraft service; and (6) where such replacement occurred, any corresponding decreases in available seat capacity for consumers at the airports referred to in that subparagraph. (c) REPORT.— Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a final report on the study carried out under subsection (a) to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
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