Statement of Governor Bob McDonnell on the Seating of Virginia MWAA Board Members
RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell issued the following statement this afternoon, following the Washington, D.C. City Council's adoption of changes to its law to allow for the seating of new members on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board. The MWAA board oversees the two largest airports in Virginia, the Dulles Access Road, the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Metrorail Extension project.
"Last November, President Obama signed into law H.R 2112, sponsored by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), which increased the number of directors on the MWAA Board from 13 to 17. Two of these additional seats were provided to Virginia and one each to Maryland and D.C. This year, I signed enabling legislation to allow for the seating of Virginia's appointees to MWAA. The MWAA Board still refused to recognize Virginia's new appointees to the board until the District of Columbia updated its laws to reflect the federal changes. I thank the D.C. City Council for today adopting those changes to its law to allow for rightfully appointed board members from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, to finally be seated. I look forward to Mayor Gray signing those changes into law soon. Additionally, the changes in the law require that appointees from any jurisdiction not continue in office once their term has ended. The taxpayers of Northern Virginia, and all Virginians, rely on the critical transportation infrastructure managed by MWAA. I look forward to MWAA seating our appointees at its next board meeting, so that the interests of all Virginians will be fully represented. This is another in a series of necessary steps, with more to come, to improve public confidence in the MWAA Board as it manages billions in public assets and projects for the people of Virginia and the region."
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