Political Quotes

“In light of recent reports of ISIS entering Europe disguised as refugees and a terrorist having just tried to take down an aircraft, I think it is important to understand the threats we face, but also to learn from the past. In the 9/11 Report, al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told al Qaeda terrorists to watch the cockpit doors at takeoff and landing to observe whether the captain went into the lavatory during the flight and to note whether the flight attendants brought food into the cockpit. We all know what happened when these attackers stormed the flight deck and turned our airliners into weapons of war. But today, more than 14 years after the attacks of September 11, the FAA still admits the cockpit is vulnerable when the reinforced door has to be opened. That is unacceptable. We know that terrorists study our vulnerabilities and make their plans accordingly. Yet, even after the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission emphasized the importance of ``a layered security system,'' we have not taken the simple, cost-effective step to protect the skies above us with the installation of secondary barrier doors. These lightweight, wire-mesh gates can be closed whenever the cockpit door is opened and effectively protect against a terrorist--or team of terrorists--rushing the cockpit by providing the pilot enough time to recognize the threat and reenter and lock the reinforced cockpit door.…”