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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2009
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Contact: Zach Goldberg
202-225-5801 (office) |
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HOUSE PASSES AIRLINE SAFETY AND PILOT TRAINING IMPROVEMENT ACT
IN RESPONSE TO FLIGHT 3407 CRASH NEAR BUFFALO
Legislation Includes Holt Aviation Safety Provisions
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Washington – The Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act (H.R. 3371) - which the House of Representatives passed today – incorporates key provisions from legislation introduced by Reps. Rush Holt (NJ-12), Brian Higgins (NY-27), and Chris Lee (NY-26). In July, the Congressmen introduced the Ensuring One Level of Aviation Safety Act of 2009. The bill would correct the serious safety deficiencies in the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of regional air carriers exposed by the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the crash of Continental flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York.
“The investigation of the Buffalo crash, which claimed the lives of 50 Americans, including three of my constituents, identified serious safety oversights. This legislation would address deficiencies in federal aviation safety standards, helping ensure that what caused the Buffalo tragedy never happens again. We owe this to the victims and their families,” Holt said.
As with Holt’s legislation, H.R. 3371 would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that allow for:
- Random, unannounced, on-site safety inspections of regional air carriers;
- New rules to address pilot fatigue;
- Greater access to information about pilot practical test failures;
- Greater oversight of pilot training schools;
- And the establishment of a national standard relative to the minimum number of flight hours required for commercial aircraft pilots.
Holt’s bill is supported by the Families of Continental Flight 3407 many of whom were in Washington for the vote. Among the victims of the crash were Ron Gonzalez of North Brunswick, Lorin Maurer of Princeton, and Coleman Mollett of East Brunswick. Kevin Kuwik - whose girlfriend was Lorin Maurer - spoke in support of the bill:
“This bill represents a lot of hard work and collaboration on the part of our group and many parties in the House of Representatives, and should address many of the issues exposed by the tragedy of Flight 3407. On behalf of the Maurer, Mellett, and Gonzalez families, we would like to thank Congressman Holt for his instrumental efforts in making this bill a reality. We are going to continue to push for the strongest pilot qualifications possible as move forward in this legislative process,” Kuwik said.
For more information on the efforts of the victims’ families visit: http://www.3407memorial.com.
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