Aviation Safety
The tragic 2009 crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Western New York highlighted glaring weaknesses in our nation’s aviation safety regulations. Working with the Families of Flight 3407 and the Western New York Congressional delegation, Brian was a strong voice for the passage of critical reforms to make our skies safer. After the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 was signed into law, Brian fought to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration implemented a number of aviation safety reforms in the areas of pilot fatigue and pilot and crewmember training requirements in full and on time. Brian continues to honor those lost in the crash and the hard work of their families in the wake of the crash by supporting efforts to make the skies safer for the flying public.
More on Aviation Safety
As Flight 3407 families attend Senate confirmation hearings considering the next Secretary of Transportation, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) stood on the House of Representatives Floor stressing the need to maintain the flight safety improvements the families sought, achieved and Congress approved.
Congressmembers Brian Higgins (NY-26), Chris Collins (NY-27), Louise Slaughter (NY-25), Tom Reed (NY-23) led a bipartisan letter signed by 22 members of the House of Representatives urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reject proposals to scale back co-pilot training requirements.
As members of the House of Representatives Committee met to consider amendments to legislation providing reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) took to the House Floor urging his colleagues to reject amendments aimed at diminishing flight safety progress achieved since the crash of Flight 3407.
Congressmembers Brian Higgins (NY-26), Chris Collins (NY-27), Louise Slaughter (NY-25) and Tom Reed (NY-23) are continuing their united fight against attempts to diminish flight safety progress as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization legislation is introduced and now under consideration in Congress.
Congress members Brian Higgins (NY-26), Chris Collins (NY-27), Louise Slaughter (NY-25), and Tom Reed (NY-23) released the following joint statement in response to the news that regional airlines are continuing the fight to reduce existing pilot training requirements, including elimination of the 1,500 hour flight time standard.
As Congress begins consideration of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization, U.S. Representatives Brian Higgins (NY-26), Louise Slaughter (NY-25) and Chris Collins (NY-27) reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the progress in aviation safety achieved following the 2009 crash of Flight 3407 and urged the United States Department of Transportation to uphold the higher pilot qualification standards.
On the 6th Anniversary of the crash of Flight 3407, Congressman Brian Higgins led a letter calling for vigilance in the continued fight for aviation safety reforms and spoke on the Floor of the House of Representatives to remember the people who lost their lives and families who love them.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Chris Collins (NY-27), Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-26) and Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-25) today released the following statements after leading a letter sent to Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster and Ranking Member Rep. Peter DeFazio asking to retain the safety standards put in place after the crash of Flight 3407.
Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as Representatives Brian Higgins, Louise Slaughter, Chris Collins and Tom Reed joined together in Washington, D.C., with the families of Flight 3407 to kick off their advocacy efforts around the upcoming FAA Reauthorization Bill. Together, they announced their push to make sure that the aviation safety regulations the families fought so hard to pass – including rules on pilot training and fatigue – are not rolled back or watered down as part of the reauthorization negotiations.
In a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta Congressmembers Brian Higgins, Louise Slaughter, Chris Collins and Tom Reed are calling on the FAA to maintain the more rigorous pilot training requirements recently implemented despite pleas by some in the airline industry to relax qualifications.