While the 1971 Special Session of the General Assembly was in progress, the President of the United States, in his annual budget message to the Congress, proposed that the Dulles International and Washington National Airports be sold in order to promote economy in the operation of the federal government. Faced with the possibility of Virginia's coming into possession of these two tremendous transportation facilities, the General Assembly determined it to be in the best interests of the Commonwealth that a thorough study be conducted by a special Commission of the desirability and feasibility of their acquisition. To this end Senate Joint Resolution No. 15 was passed.