April 30, 2002, Tuesday, FINAL EDITION Correction Appended
SECTION: NEWS; Pg.
1A
LENGTH: 440 words
HEADLINE: Panel wants to arm pilots
BYLINE: Blake Morrison
BODY: Two House transportation committee leaders,
pushing to reverse the Bush administration's opposition to arming pilots, want
to strip the new Transportation Security Administration of its power to rule on
the issue.
Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, and
Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., plan to introduce a bill today to let Congress decide
whether pilots should be allowed to carry guns aboard commercial flights.
"We're hearing from the pilots groups in a
near unanimous chorus that they want this last line of defense," said Mica,
chairman of the House aviation subcommittee. "When they ask us for this ability
to defend themselves, I don't think it should be denied."
A Transportation Department spokesman declined to comment
on the bill. Young, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee, could not be reached Monday.
Although the TSA has yet to take a public position on the guns issue,
administration leaders -- including Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta -- have said they oppose arming pilots.
John Magaw, who heads the TSA, is expected to echo their sentiments this
week.
Some aviation safety experts say
they worry that guns would create hazards, from distracting pilots to accidental
discharge or theft. The pilots unions say that a training program would address
those concerns and that lethal force is the only certain way to stop
hijackers.
Whether the bill to let
Congress decide will garner broad support remains unclear. But Mica, whose
subcommittee holds hearings on the gun issue Thursday, said he hopes the bill
prompts the TSA to reconsider.
"As they
get close to making a decision, we're hoping to put a little starch in their
shorts," he said.
Congress created the TSA
after the terrorist attacks Sept. 11 and gave it sweeping authority over
aviation security. But in the past three weeks, some lawmakers have grown
frustrated by what they consider the agency's lack of responsiveness.
During a House Appropriations subcommittee
hearing this month, for instance, lawmakers lashed out at Transportation leaders
for failing to explain how the agency was spending money. "Does the agency
really take this committee to be a bunch of chumps?" asked Rep. Dave Obey,
D-Wis.
Pilots also have grown frustrated
dealing with the agency. In early April, the nation's five largest commercial
pilots unions asked President Bush to intercede personally to let pilots arm
themselves.
An administration spokesman
said then that Bush remained opposed to arming pilots. White House officials
could not be reached Monday.
CORRECTION-DATE: May 2, 2002, Thursday
CORRECTION: A headline Tuesday misstated who wants
to give Congress the power to decide whether pilots should be armed. The authors
of the bill are two House transportation committee leaders, Rep. Don Young,
R-Alaska, and Rep. John Mica, R-Fla.
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