Jerry Moran: “Senator Cruz, the Senator from Texas, and Senator Cantwell, the Senator from Washington State, thank you very much for…”

“Senator Cruz, the Senator from Texas, and Senator Cantwell, the Senator from Washington State, thank you very much for the opportunity to join with you today and throughout a long process since January 29, earlier this year. That flight--Flight 5342--originated in Wichita, KS, and, as we know, on January 29, it collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter, and it changed the way we look at air safety every moment since then. I appreciate the leadership of my two colleagues on the full committee, as well as Senator Duckworth, my colleague on the Subcommittee on Aviation, to make certain that we take all the steps necessary and to make certain for the families who remind us today, and almost every day since January 29, about the importance of making the skies of the United States safe for those who fly today and in the future. There are numerous--numerous--circumstances that led to this horrific incident, and NTSB's critical investigation into this collision is continuing. While NTSB's final recommendations have not yet been released, the Chair of the NTSB, Jennifer Homendy, took the unprecedented step of publicly stating that the National Defense Authorization Act does not adequately address the safety concerns surrounding the mixed airspace at DCA.”