Wilson Introduces Bill to Arm Cargo Pilots

Today, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) along with Senators Jim Bunning (R-KY), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and George Allen (R-VA) held a press conference to announce legislation that would allow cargo pilots to carry arms. Rep. Wilson introduced the Arming Cargo Pilots Against Terrorism Act today in the House, while Senators Bunning and Boxer will introduce the bill in the Senate. Also present at the press conference were pilots representing pilots associations, including First Officer Marc Flagg, Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), First Officer Leon Laylagian, CAPA, and Captain Tracy Price, Director of Government Affairs, Airline Pilots Security Alliance (APSA)."The bill we are introducing today is a commonsense proposal," said Rep. Wilson. "After lessons learned from September 11th, 2001, Congress voted overwhelmingly last year to arm commercial airline pilots against future acts of terrorism. Yet, due to negotiations in conference, the bill failed to include cargo pilots, creating a huge risk to the security of the American people.""It is not logical to exclude cargo pilots from carrying arms, because they are operating planes that are the same size, or in many cases larger, than the planes that were used on September 11th. The facilities around cargo airlines often have much lower security, and many flights carry biological or chemical agents that could cause massive injuries to the American people if one of these flights were to be hijacked," said Rep. Wilson.Cargo pilots were included in the Federal Flight Deck Officer program as originally passed in the Senate and House last year. The final version included in the Homeland Security Act removed them, leaving a loophole in our national security. Cargo planes do not have strengthened cockpit doors, Federal Air Marshals, trained cabin crew or alert passengers. The Arming Cargo Pilots Against Terrorism Act will close that loophole and reinforce our homeland defense by adding an additional layer of security."I thank the Senators for their support in arming cargo pilots, but I am especially appreciative of the pilots themselves. The pilots and the pilots associations were the ones that brought this problem to light and worked diligently to find a solution. These brave men and women are known targets for terrorists, and we must provide them with the ability to defend themselves and the lives of innocent Americans," said Rep. Wilson.###