U.S. Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. says federal legislation expected this week could kill plans for a south suburban airport.

An amendment to a federal defense bill could lengthen the timetable for building Chicago’s third airport, which Jackson says could drive away investors.

He wants the state to move quickly before the federal legislation is enacted.

Jackson says Illinois is controlled at all levels by Democrats, and failure to take action this week will reflect poorly on all of them.

He says, “It says that the Illinois Democratic party can’t get things done. It means that we can’t deliver for our own constituents and that ought to be unacceptable to every Illinois Democrat.”

Jackson adds: “The governor of the state of Illinois needs to show some leadership and he needs to show it now.”

The congressman is calling on Governor Rod Blagojevich to transfer land already purchased by the state to the third airport commission.

A spokesman for the governor says the office needs approval from the Illinois attorney general or the state legislature before moving ahead with the land transfer.

Meantime, the attorney general’s office says it’s reviewing the legality of such a transfer.

Congressman Jackson says the airport project is important because of the estimated 15,000 jobs it could bring to the south suburbs.