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Leaders Gather to Push Re-opening of National Airport

ARLINGTON, VA-Washington Mayor Anthony Williams traveled a short distance across the Potomac River late Wednesday afternoon, along with area congressional representatives, to press the Bush administration to re-open the airport. Closed now for nearly three weeks, the region is losing $5 million each day it's closed, and the airport and the businesses within it have laid off more than 10,000 employees.

By Marlon Millner | Updated on September 27, 2001

ARLINGTON, VA-The continued closure of Ronald Reagan National Airport has left a gaping wound in the region’s economy, which left unclosed, could prove fatal. Local political leaders rallied today at one of the three closed terminals at the airport to lobby the federal government and President George Bush to re-open the airport. Leaders at the press conference late Wednesday included Washington Mayor Anthony Williams, District delegate Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congressman Jim Moran , R-VA, and Congresswoman Connie Morella, R-MD.

Williams told reporters National’s continued closing, “Sends a horrible signal about our nation’s capital, that we, a proud capital, a symbol of commerce a symbol of free exchange and assembly, that we in our nation’s capital are an open city, yet we’re closing our front door.” Certainly the impact of the closed door is more than symbolic, it’s economic.

Leaders said National Airport serves about 45,000 passengers a day, and over 10,000 people who worked for the airport authority, or with businesses within the airport property have been laid off. Moreover, Williams and others said the region loses $5 million a day for each day the airport remains closed.

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