A group of congressional Republicans wants the no-fly zone designations for Disneyland and Walt Disney World removed, saying in part that no theme park should receive “special treatment just because they are well-connected.”
The bill, formally known as the Airlines Independent of Restrictions Act or AIR Act, was reintroduced by U.S. Rep. Troy E. Nehls, a Republican from Texas, who first introduced the bill in 2022.
The bill would direct the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, to rescind the no-fly zone designations over the domestic Disney theme parks, which were given to the parks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“Theme parks like Disney should not receive special treatment just because they are well-connected. Our national security should not be compromised to fit the needs of one corporation,” Nehls said in a statement.
KTLA reached out to the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World about the proposed bill but has not heard back.
In 2022, Nehls accused Buttigieg and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) of “blatant favoritism towards the Walt Disney Company” and sent letters urging them to reconsider the no-fly zones designations, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“Woke corporations shouldn’t get any favors from the government,” U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a co-sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “The FAA has no business granting a no-fly-zone over Disney parks. Universal Studios, Hershey Park, Six Flags, and other theme parks don’t have no-fly-zones over them, and it’s time for Disney to get the same treatment,”
Other House Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, Andy Biggs and Scott Perry have also co-sponsored the bill.
The bill has been introduced and would need to pass the House, Senate and be signed into law by President Joe Biden before it would be enforced.
