Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority v. Citizens for the Abatement of Aircraft Noise, Inc.

An Act of Congress authorizing the transfer of operating control of two major airports from the Federal Government to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MW A A) conditioned the transfer on the creation by MWAA of a unique “Board of Review” composed of nine Members of Congress and vested with veto power over decisions made by MWAA’s Board of Directors.1 The principal question presented is whether this unusual statutory condition violates the constitutional principle of separation of powers, as interpreted in INS v. Chadha, 462 U. S. 919 (1983), Bowsher v. Synar, 478 U. S. 714…