Ric Keller: “Aiming a laser beam into the cockpit of an airplane is a clear and present danger to the safety of all those on board…”

“Aiming a laser beam into the cockpit of an airplane is a clear and present danger to the safety of all those on board the aircraft. This legislation is simple and straightforward. It makes it illegal to knowingly aim a laser pointer at an aircraft. Those who intentionally engage in such misconduct shall be fined or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both, in the discretion of the judge. This legislation was unanimously approved by all Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee in this Congress and in the last Congress. It was also approved by the full House by a voice vote, and the Senate also approved this legislation by unanimous consent after slightly amending the legislation to provide for limited exceptions for testing and training by the Department of Defense and FAA, as well as using the laser to send an emergency distress signal. This bill represents the negotiated compromise between the House and Senate on these limited exceptions. The problems caused by laser beam pranksters are more widespread than one might think. According to the FAA and the Congressional Research Service, there have been over 500 incidents reported since 1990 where pilots have been disoriented or temporarily blinded by laser exposure. The problem is on the rise, and there were over 90 incidents in 2005 alone.”