(a) General.—The purpose of this chapter is to authorize the transfer of operating responsibility under long-term lease of the 2 Metropolitan Washington Airport properties as a unit, including access highways and other related facilities, to a properly constituted independent airport authority created by Virginia and the District of Columbia, in order to achieve local control, management, operation, and development of these important transportation assets.

(b) Inclusion of Baltimore/Washington International Airport Not Precluded.—This chapter does not prohibit the Airports Authority and Maryland from making an agreement to make Baltimore/Washington International Airport part of a regional airports authority, subject to terms agreed to by the Airports Authority, the Secretary of Transportation, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland.