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Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73

§49111 Relationship to and effect of other laws

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART D— - PUBLIC AIRPORTS › Chapter CHAPTER 491— - METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON AIRPORTS › § 49111

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Gives the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority the same powers and must-follow rules as other public airports under U.S. law while the lease allowed by section 6005 of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–500; 100 Stat. 1783–375; Public Law 99–591; 100 Stat. 3341–378) is in effect. During that time, the Metropolitan Washington Airports count as public airports for chapter 471. The Acts of June 29, 1940 (ch. 444, 54 Stat. 686), the First Supplemental Civil Functions Appropriations Act, 1941 (ch. 780, 54 Stat. 1030), and the Act of September 7, 1950 (ch. 905, 64 Stat. 770) do not apply to how these airports are run, and the Secretary of Transportation has no duties under those Acts. Keeping full U.S. ownership (fee simple title) of the airports does not by itself make the airports or the Authority subject to other laws. Virginia shares police power over the airports, and Virginia courts may hear cases about Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The National Capital Planning Commission’s authority under section 8722 of title 40 does not apply to the Airports Authority, but the Authority must consult the Commission and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation before big exterior changes to Dulles’s main terminal, and must consult the Commission before projects that would change Reagan National’s skyline as seen from the opposite Potomac shore or the George Washington Parkway.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §49111

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)To ensure that the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has the same proprietary powers and is subject to the same restrictions under United States law as any other airport except as otherwise provided in this chapter, during the period that the lease authorized by section 6005 of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–500; 100 Stat. 1783–375; Public Law 99–591; 100 Stat. 3341–378) is in effect—
(1)the Metropolitan Washington Airports are deemed to be public airports for purposes of chapter 471 of this title; and
(2)the Act of June 29, 1940 (ch. 444, 54 Stat. 686), the First Supplemental Civil Functions Appropriations Act, 1941 (ch. 780, 54 Stat. 1030), and the Act of September 7, 1950 (ch. 905, 64 Stat. 770), do not apply to the operation of the Metropolitan Washington Airports, and the Secretary of Transportation is relieved of all responsibility under those Acts.
(b)The Metropolitan Washington Airports and the Airports Authority are not subject to the requirements of any law solely by reason of the retention by the United States Government of the fee simple title to those airports.
(c)Virginia shall have concurrent police power authority over the Metropolitan Washington Airports, and the courts of Virginia may exercise jurisdiction over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
(d)(1)The authority of the National Capital Planning Commission under section 8722 of title 40 does not apply to the Airports Authority.
(2)The Airports Authority shall consult with—
(A)the Commission and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation before undertaking any major alterations to the exterior of the main terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport; and
(B)the Commission before undertaking development that would alter the skyline of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when viewed from the opposing shoreline of the Potomac River or from the George Washington Parkway.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 49111(a)(uncodified).Oct. 18, 1986, Pub. L. 99–500, title VI, § 6009(a), 100 Stat. 1783–384. Oct. 30, 1986, Pub. L. 99–591, title VI, § 6009(a), 100 Stat. 3341–387. 49111(b)(uncodified).Oct. 18, 1986, Pub. L. 99–500, title VI, § 6009(b), 100 Stat. 1783–384; Oct. 9, 1996, Pub. L. 104–264, title IX, § 904(c)(1), 110 Stat. 3276. Oct. 30, 1986, Pub. L. 99–591, title VI, § 6009(b), 100 Stat. 3341–387; Oct. 9, 1996, Pub. L. 104–264, title IX, § 904(c)(1), 110 Stat. 3276. 49111(c)(uncodified).Oct. 18, 1986, Pub. L. 99–500, title VI, § 6009(c), 100 Stat. 1783–384. Oct. 30, 1986, Pub. L. 99–591, title VI, § 6009(c), 100 Stat. 3341–387. 49111(d)(uncodified).Oct. 18, 1986, Pub. L. 99–500, title VI, § 6009(d), 100 Stat. 1783–384. Oct. 30, 1986, Pub. L. 99–591, title VI, § 6009(d), 100 Stat. 3341–387. 49111(e)(uncodified).Oct. 18, 1986, Pub. L. 99–500, title VI, § 6009(e), 100 Stat. 1783–384. Oct. 30, 1986, Pub. L. 99–591, title VI, § 6009(e), 100 Stat. 3341–388. In subsection (a)(1), the word “deemed” is substituted for “considered” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In subsection (e), the text of section 6009(e)(2) of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–500, 100 Stat. 1783–385, Public Law 99–591, 100 Stat. 3341–388) is omitted as executed.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 6005 of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Act of 1986, referred to in subsec. (a), is section 6005 of Pub. L. 99–500, title VI, Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–375, and Pub. L. 99–591, title VI, Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–378, which was classified to section 2454 of former Title 49, Transportation, and was repealed and reenacted as this section by Pub. L. 105–102, §§ 2(26), 5(b), Nov. 20, 1997, 111 Stat. 2205, 2217. Act of
June 29, 1940, ch. 444, 54 Stat. 686, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was classified to subchapter I (§ 2401 et seq.) of chapter 33 of former Title 49, Transportation, and was omitted from the Code when subtitles II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation, were enacted by Pub. L. 103–272,
July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 745. The First Supplemental Civil Functions Appropriations Act, 1941, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is act Oct. 9, 1940, ch. 780, 54 Stat. 1030. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Act of
September 7, 1950, ch. 905, 64 Stat. 770, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was classified to subchapter II (§ 2421 et seq.) of chapter 33 of former Title 49, Transportation, and was omitted from the Code when subtitles II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation, were enacted by Pub. L. 103–272,
July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 745.

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 107–217 substituted “section 8722 of title 40” for “section 5 of the Act of
June 6, 1924 (40 U.S.C. 71d),”. 2000—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 106–181 struck out heading and text of subsec. (e). Text read as follows: “The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may not increase the number of instrument flight rule takeoffs and landings authorized for air carriers by the High Density Rule (14 CFR 93.121 et seq.) at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on
October 18, 1986, and may not decrease the number of those takeoffs and landings except for reasons of safety.” 1998—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–225 substituted “retention by” for “retention of”. Subsecs. (c), (d)(2)(B), (e). Pub. L. 105–154 substituted “Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport” for “Washington National Airport”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2000 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 106–181 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1999, see section 3 of Pub. L. 106–181, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–225 effective Nov. 20, 1997, see section 7(c)(3) of Pub. L. 105–225, set out as a note under section 49106 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 49111

Title 49 — Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73