Denver International Airport is now the fourth-busiest airport in the United States and the sixth-busiest in the world. DIA’s exponential growth exceeding all expectations is due to, not in spite of, DIA’s unwavering support for diversity, equity and inclusion. From the time the idea of DIA was started under Mayor Federico Pena, through the leadership of Mayors Wellington Webb, John Hickenlooper (and his great Chief of Staff Michael Bennet), Michael Hancock and now Mike Johnston, Denver’s mayors have worked to make DIA a leader in every single area. That includes a commitment to being a place where diversity was valued. 

The result is entrepreneurs of color have succeeded and created jobs. Look around DIA and you see a workforce that reflects the diversity of our great community. The jobs that have been created at DIA have helped to build Colorado’s economy into one of the country’s strongest.

Much of the growth at DIA is because of our state’s strong and diverse tourism economy. Colorado’s tourism economy is benefited greatly by credit card rewards points. Many thousands of jobs and billions of dollars come into Colorado as a direct result of the use of credit card rewards points. Those points are under attack from Amazon and big-box retailers who have convinced U.S. senators to introduce the so-called Credit Card Competition Act. If passed, we need to be very clear what will happen — DIA will have fewer flights and fewer flights mean fewer jobs. Minority and immigrant Communities will pay the price. Many of the good-paying jobs at DIA held by our friends and neighbors will be at risk. Minority-owned businesses that thrive at DIA will suffer.

Stay up to speed: Sign up for daily opinion in your inbox Monday-Friday

An excellent study by the well regarded Oxford Economics Research firm states passage of the Credit Card Competition Act will cost the U.S. economy more than $236 billion in four years. And, even worse, those effects will be felt the hardest in states such as Colorado that are more dependent on tourist dollars.

Every major union working at DIA including the Communication Workers of America, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transport Workers Union of America opposes the Credit Card Competition Act. But tellingly, every major carrier serving DIA including United, Delta and American are also in opposition. It is indeed rare to see the unions and the carriers they are often at odds with on the same side of an issue and that shows just how bad the Credit Card Competition Act truly is.

As policy chair of the Denver NAACP, I want to always be on the side of workers and economic growth. The Credit Card Competition Act if passed will hurt communities of color and immigrant communities. Colorado’s U.S. Sens. Hickenlooper and Bennet, who deserve such credit for the great airport DIA is today, should stand up now in opposition. They should stand with the unions and carriers at DIA and say unequivocally they oppose the Credit Card Competition Act.

Miah Ntepp is a civil rights activist and the Policy Director for the NAACP Denver branch.