Members of Congress and Supreme Court justices are set to lose a major perk at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this summer.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will begin blocking members of Congress, Supreme Court justices and international diplomats from using 89 VIP parking spaces near the airport’s terminal, in June. The parking spaces need to be used by construction crews working on the airport’s expansion to handle an increasing number of passengers.
“We’re closing the ‘restricted lot’ at Reagan National effective June 30 to make room for adjacent construction of the new security checkpoints,” an MWAA spokesman told WRC. “Contractors will use the lot to access the worksite and stage equipment and supplies until 2021.”
The VIP spaces have been a popular benefit extended to all 435 House members and all 100 senators. Washington Dulles International Airport offers a similar privilege.
They won’t lose out on their Reagan National parking perk entirely, though, as they will still be able to park for free in the airport’s garages for the next four years. According to WRC, congressional members regularly use that benefit, which cost taxpayers more than $132,000 in 2015.
