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| This week in Congress, my House colleagues and I
took an important step forward in securing our homeland against the threats
of terrorism by passing the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act
(H.R. 4635). Placing guns in the cockpits of our airplanes is a tremendous responsibility, and as the debates surrounding this issue unfolded, I discussed them with constituents and with pilots. Research shows that at least half of our nation’s commercial airline pilots have military or law enforcement backgrounds, and are highly skilled and trained in self-defense. We trust them with our lives each and every time we board an airplane, shouldn’t we ensure they are equipped to protect us if terrorists threaten our lives? On September 11th, terrorists took over commercial flights by using only box-cutters. Think of all the lives that were taken by those simple tools. No one could have known their evil intent, but now we have an opportunity to stop and deter future hijackings and acts of terror by making sure our pilots – and we as passengers – are no longer sitting ducks. Again, the concept of arming pilots is one that requires responsibility in order to be safe and successful. The training provided for in this bill is crucial, because it will ensure that every person involved in this program will have proper instruction and will be held to the highest standards of safety. I applaud my colleagues in the House of Representatives for passing this common sense measure to give our pilots a fighting chance against the evils of terrorism. I welcome your comments and concerns on issues important to you. I encourage you to write to me at 514 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, e-mail me at mike.ross@mail.house.gov or phone my office at 1-800-223-2220. I also encourage you to visit my website at www.house.gov/ross and sign up to receive my weekly electronic newsletter. |
