Statement from Congressman Brian Higgins on Reports that the Shuster Amendment Would Be Dropped From the FAA Bill

"This is welcome news for the Flight 3407 Families, Western New Yorkers and all Americans concerned with aviation safety. It means the reforms and safety improvements we fought so hard for last year will be implemented. Defeating this amendment was a bipartisan effort that I was proud to help lead. I will continue to be vigilant on this matter until we confirm that this damaging amendment is in fact ultimately and officially dropped from the bill and all of our aviation safety reforms are implemented in full."

The Shuster Amendment was adopted during House consideration of the FAA Authorization bill in April. It would have required a number of duplicative and difficult reviews before the aviation safety reforms Congress passed last year could be implemented. These reforms, signed into law last August, will improve pilot rest and training requirements, two major factors in the crash of Flight 3407 near Buffalo in February 2009.