James Oberstar: “I also strongly support the Child Pilot Safety Act, H.R. 3267. It is regrettable that we should even be here discussing…”

“I also strongly support the Child Pilot Safety Act, H.R. 3267. It is regrettable that we should even be here discussing such legislation, but out of necessity we are. The bill was drafted in response to a tragic accident that took the life of Jessica Dubroff, a precocious 7-year-old who was attempting to be the youngest person to manipulate the controls of an aircraft across the North American Continent. As the committee heard in the hearings that the gentleman from Tennessee, Chairman Duncan, called and the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Lipinski, participated in and help craft, we have to keep in mind that Jessica was not the pilot in command of the fatal flight. The decision to take off in foul weather was not hers. The decision to fly in aircraft that was reportedly overweight was not the child's. The decision to allow her to manipulate the controls of that aircraft at any time during that flight and prior to the tragic accident was not the child's decision. It was a decision of the pilot in command, an experienced pilot, a flight instructor who should have known better. As we have discussed and Chairman Duncan and ranking member Lipinski have said again and again, we cannot legislate good judgment into the minds and hearts and soles of pilots, but we can erect some very strong barriers. That is what this legislation does.”