On the recordJuly 18, 2012
In the wake of the tragic crash of Continental Flight 3407 in my western New York community, Congress successfully passed comprehensive airline safety reforms. While final rules have begun to be released for these reforms, there are still many regulations yet to be finalized and implemented. Yesterday, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt and I, along with 44 of our colleagues, sent a letter asking the Federal Aviation Administration to take immediate action on finalizing long overdue rules on crew training. This rule would mandate additional training and evaluation of requirements, ensuring that those working aboard an aircraft are best equipped to handle potential emergency situations. Mr. Speaker, the National Transportation Safety Board found that between 1988 and 2009 inadequate training was found to be a leading factor in 178 accidents. The crash of Flight 3407 was preventable. Each day that these rules go unfinished carries a potential risk to the flying public. ____________________
