Barbara Boxer: “this morning, in addition to these comments that I just made, I want to talk about an amendment I am trying to get a…”

“this morning, in addition to these comments that I just made, I want to talk about an amendment I am trying to get a vote on to the FAA bill, the Federal Aviation Administration bill, which is before us. This issue is another no-brainer. Later this morning, I will meet with Captain ``Sully'' Sullenberger. I think you remember him. He was the ``Hero of the Hudson.'' He was the one who miraculously landed U.S. Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. Because of his incredible skill, he saved the lives of all 155 passengers and crew. When it comes to safety--safety, in terms of our pilots being able to think clearly and not be suffering from fatigue, who could be better than Captain Sullenberger? I am going to stand with him. I am going to explain the issue that he and I are fighting for. I first got into this issue--which is safety standards for all pilots--in 2009 when Colgan Airlines Flight 3407 crashed into a home near Buffalo, NY, killing 50 people. After that tragic crash, Senator Snowe and I wrote legislation that updated pilot and fatigue regulations. They had been written originally in the 1940s. Clearly, there is a lot of scientific research on what happens when you have a lack of rest. We needed to see a new rule. So, because of the efforts of Senator Snowe and me, the Department of Transportation issued a rule in 2011 to ensure adequate rest for passenger pilots, which was great. Shockingly, they left out cargo pilots.…”