US To Proceed With Airline Foreign Ownership Plan

The Bush administration plans to move ahead this summer with its proposal to ease restrictions on foreign investment in US airlines despite strong congressional opposition, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said on Thursday.

Mineta, who has resigned from his post after 5-1/2 years and leaves office on Friday, told reporters he may have underestimated the strength of lawmaker sentiment on the politically sensitive plan to give foreign investors some say in day-to-day airline operations in exchange for equity.

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