Document 1yD9wqRZDw65M1BL9EEjOb4aE

of T THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, DC 20590 February 26, 2025 The Honorable Kimberlyn King-Hinds U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative King-Hinds: Thank you for your letter congratulating me on my confirmation as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and regarding the ongoing restrictions on international air service between the People's Republic of China and the United States imposed under the Department's Part 213 Orders. As you are likely aware, the Commonwealth Ports Authority of the Northern Mariana Islands (CPA) has applied for an exemption from the Department's Part 213 Order for scheduled passenger flights between China and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. A copy of the application may be found on the Docket at DOT-OST-2020-0052-0152. As the application is currently pending before the Department, I cannot comment on its merits. Please be assured, however, that we are giving full and careful consideration to CPA's request. As is our standard practice, I will place a copy of your letter and this response in Docket DOT-OST-2020-0052 as a communication outside the record of this case. You may track the progress of this case and view the publicly available documents filed in the docket by accessing the Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket DOT-OST-2020-0052. Thank you, again, for your kind words and sharing your views on this matter. If I can provide further information or assistance, please reach out or contact Hannah Matesic, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs, at (202) 366-4573 or via email at hannah.matesic@dot.gov. Sincerely, Sean P. Duffy OST-2025-1200 Page 00061 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0008223