Lawmaker tells House Judiciary Committee consolidation, foreign policy are driving higher airfares; introduces War Powers resolution

A lawmaker opening a House Judiciary Committee hearing said Monday that rising ticket prices, added fees and more cancellations are the predictable result of decades of airline consolidation and recent foreign-policy choices, and announced a War Powers resolution seeking to end U.S. military action in Iran.

"Clearly, we could not see things more differently…flying has gotten worse," the lawmaker said, arguing that consumers now pay for perks such as seat selection and carry-ons and have "no bargaining power" because the industry has consolidated over decades.

The lawmaker cited historical market shifts to make the case: in 1960 there were about 40 major U.S. carriers, they said, while today "just four airlines control over two-thirds of the domestic passenger market." The speaker called it "not competition" and said airline executives who argue for more consolidation are wrong to do so.

The statement singled out a floated merger between United Airlines and American Airlines as particularly troubling, saying a combined carrier would control roughly 34% of the domestic market. Quoting Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as calling the proposal "interesting," the speaker said that reaction demonstrated the need for antitrust enforcement "on the merits."

The lawmaker also invoked recent enforcement history, noting that Democrats blocked the proposed Spirit–JetBlue merger in 2024 after evidence suggested it could raise fares by as much as 40% on dozens of routes.

Linking foreign policy to consumer costs, the lawmaker asserted that a spike in jet-fuel prices—"roughly doubled," they said—was a result of U.S. military action in Iran and that higher fuel costs have contributed to airline failures and higher fares. The speaker said Spirit's CEO had identified fuel prices as a major factor in that carrier's troubles.

"Americans have spent nearly $450 more on fuel-related expenses since February," the lawmaker added, and said grocery prices and airfare had risen sharply in recent months, using those figures to argue the economic harms are widespread.

The speaker said they had introduced a War Powers resolution to end the military action, arguing that Congress, not the president, has constitutional authority to authorize conflicts. No vote on that resolution was recorded in the transcript.

The statement criticized policy changes at the Department of Transportation, saying that earlier Biden-era rules requiring cash refunds to consumers and upfront fee disclosures were rolled back by the current DOT, and that those rules had been estimated to save consumers more than $500 million a year. The lawmaker also said major airlines and trade groups had spent millions lobbying the administration and pointed out that Secretary Duffy previously worked as an airline lobbyist; members of Congress have called for an investigation into whether he favors industry interests.

The lawmaker closed by urging strong, evidence-based antitrust enforcement and pledging to press the administration on consumer protections. The opening statement concluded; the transcript contains no record of a committee vote or further action on the War Powers resolution.