U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
U.S. Rep. Don Young, Chairman

Contact:  Steve Hansen (Director of Communications)  (202) 225-7749
 Email: Steve.Hansen@mail.house.gov
     Justin Harclerode (Deputy Director of Communications)  (202) 226-8767
  Email: Justin.Harclerod@mail.house.gov
To:  National Desk/Transportation Reporter
June 19, 2002

Legislation Allowing Commercial Airline Pilots To Be Armed To Combat Terrorist Attacks Approved By House Subcommittee;
Transportation Committee Leaders Reach Bipartisan Agreement On New Bill

        Washington, D.C. - Bipartisan legislation that will allow for a test program allowing up to 1,400 commercial airline pilots to carry firearms to combat terrorist attacks was approved by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Aviation today.

        The legislation is expected to be marked up by the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee next Wednesday.

        The legislation (H.R. 4635) was introduced by U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), the Chairman of the Transportation Committee, and U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-FL), the Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee - the two sponsors of the House-passed aviation security legislation last year.

        A bipartisan substitute amendment was introduced by Subcommittee Chairman Mica at the markup, which was approved by a voice vote.

“Arming Trained & Qualified Pilots Is A Necessary Step To Ensure The Safety & Security Of The Flying Public”

        “The decision to arm pilots and crew was not taken lightly,” Mica told the subcommittee prior to the vote.  “Consider our current situation. First, unfortunately our aviation system is in a vulnerable stage of transition and will be for some time.

        “Second, It is impossible to place air marshals on all of the at-risk flights.

        “Third, full cockpit door conversions will not be completed until mid-2003.

        “Fourth, pilots had the ability to arm themselves in the past.

        “Fifth, we know terrorists have been trained to take over commercial aircraft by lethal and non-lethal means.

        “Finally, if there is another terrorist hijacking, the Department of Defense will be forced to make the difficult decision of having to shoot down a plane full of innocent passengers to prevent that plane from being used as a weapon.

        “I strongly believe that under these circumstances, arming trained and qualified flight crewmembers is a necessary step to ensure the safety and security of the flying public.”

Major Provisions Of New Legislation

        Some of the major provisions in the substitute legislation include:

- A two-year test of allowing guns in the cockpit.

- The two-year period begins only when the first 250 pilots have been deputized to carry a gun in the cockpit.

- The number of deputized pilots is capped at 2 percent of the total pilot workforce (about 1,400)

- Preference is given to pilots who are former military or law enforcement.

- Pilots must undergo Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approved training before being deputized.

- Before deputizing pilots, the TSA must establish the protocols for carrying guns (i.e. type of gun, type of ammunition, where the gun is stored, pilot interaction with the air marshals, ensuring the pilot does not take the gun into the passenger cabin).

- At the end of the two-year test period, TSA issues a report to Congress and decides whether the program is to be continued, expanded, or terminated.

- The bill requires separate self-defense training for flight attendants.

- The timeline for the implementation of the test program is as follows:

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