Brian Higgins: “8 years ago, Western New Yorkers witnessed tragedy due to inadequate pilot training. A poorly trained pilot crashed a…”

“8 years ago, Western New Yorkers witnessed tragedy due to inadequate pilot training. A poorly trained pilot crashed a commercial jet into a neighborhood in our community, ending the lives of those on board and one on the ground. Since then, the victims' families of Flight 3407, who suffered unimaginable loss on that day, have turned their grief into a powerful citizens' fight to strengthen pilot training and flight safety rules. The families of Flight 3407, who are here today, led the charge urging Congress to pass landmark flight safety legislation in 2010, including rules that could have prevented the tragedy that they all suffered. Since then, there have been 7 years of no fatal commercial crashes on domestic U.S. airlines. Now the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization is nearing and some want to beat back this tremendous progress. Let's be clear, what is being proposed is a rule change that will allow less experienced pilots to fly commercial jets again. The safety of the flying public should never be compromised again. I am prepared, along with the Western New York delegation and with the 3407 families, to protect these reforms once again, because we know the painful lessons of accepting anything less. ____________________”