On the recordFebruary 3, 2011
Today I am pleased to join Senator Whitehouse, Senator Boxer and a growing list of my colleagues in support of the Whitehouse-Kirk-Boxer amendment that will improve airline safety throughout the Nation. Most individuals are familiar with laser pointers that are often used in presentations. What you may not know is the growing danger these devices pose to pilots. Last month, the FAA released nationwide data on lasers pointed at aircraft. From 2009 to 2010, incidents nearly doubled from 1,527, to 2,836. To show how quickly this has become a problem, when the FAA first began to track this problem in 2005, incidents were under 300. Transportation Secretary LaHood has acknowledged this is a serious safety issue. Lasers can temporarily blind pilots, which is incredibly dangerous, but even more so during the critical time of takeoff and landing. Advancements in laser technology also are making the problem worse. Certain color variations, such as green lasers, are 35 times brighter than comparable red lasers. This is a particular worry for me and for my State's busiest airport--O'Hare. According to the FAA, last year O'Hare had the second-highest number of laser events in the Nation at 98. The Whitehouse-Kirk-Boxer amendment creates new penalties for knowingly pointing a laser pointer at an aircraft, or at the flight path of an airplane. Commonsense exemptions are provided to allow further research and testing activities.
