Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
Posted on 07/11/2002 12:55:18 PM PDT by Feiny
Boxer signs on to armed-pilot bill
Anti-gun senator prefers firearms in cockpits to fighters downing planes
By Jon Dougherty
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com
A well-known anti-gun senator has agreed to support legislation that would allow airline pilots to fly armed because, she says, it is better than ordering planes destroyed by U.S. fighter jets in the event of a hijacking.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. |
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said at a press conference in Washington today that she is lending her support to legislation sponsored by Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., that would, essentially, bypass a decision made earlier by Transportation Security Administration Director John Magaw not to allow guns on the flight deck.
"I think this is the first time I have ever stood with Sen. Smith on an issue that has involved guns," Boxer said in announcing her decision. "However, I have decided that until I am satisfied with the number of air marshals on commercial flights, this bill is a necessity ? indeed, it is a matter of life and death."
Boxer said a primary reason why she decided to support Smith's bill was because "if a plane is considered under the control of hijackers, it will be shot down by our military."
The Bush administration adopted a policy after the Sept. 11 attacks ? in which three hijacked airliners were flown into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon ? calling for shooting down commandeered airliners using fighter jets.
"Imagine how the survivors of all those passengers and crew will feel if we failed to allow pilots to have guns to defend the plane and a American flight was brought down by the American military," she said. "I know how it would make me feel as a United States senator, and it would be a heart break I would carry for the rest of my life."
Last fall, Congress passed airline security legislation that contained a provision for allowing pilots to be armed, but left the decision in the hands of the director of the newly created TSA. Smith's bill bypasses government regulatory agencies and would, if passed, permit commercial pilots to voluntarily arm themselves in the cockpit.
In April, Magaw said he would not allow pilots to fly armed in a decision that was seconded by Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and most major airlines, according to industry sources.
Backers of armed pilots hailed Boxer's decision.
"This is a huge step forward in the effort to arm pilots with firearms and to provide flight attendants with defensive training," said Capt. Tracy Price, chairman of Airline Pilots' Security Alliance, a group pressing Congress to allow pilots to fly armed.
"The fact that this support for S.2554 is coming from a liberal Democrat that is very much in favor of controls on handguns is further proof that arming pilots is not a gun-anti-gun issue, it is an airline security issue," Price said. "Sen. Boxer is a clear-thinking leader that has supported arming pilots since shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11th."
Price called Boxer's support "key" to passing armed-pilot legislation in the Senate. "We thank her so much for backing this legislation that is so critical to airline ? and national ? security," he added.
Meanwhile, the House is scheduled to vote on an armed pilot measure today that was sponsored by Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation Committee's subcommittee on aviation.
However, the bill ? which is expected to pass ? has been labeled as ineffective by critics because, they say, Republican supporters had to water it down tremendously to win Democratic support.
The House measure would authorize an armed-pilot trial program over a period of two years, but only allows up to 2 percent of commercial pilots to be armed. At the end of the trial period, the TSA director could opt to cancel it, continue it or expand it.
Critics say the number of pilots authorized to carry guns in the House bill isn't enough to effectively deter potential terrorists and hijackers. Also, they say the bill still leaves the decision to allow the rest of the industry to carry guns in cockpits with a government agency that may have a political point of view against guns.
In her statement today, Boxer also called for training flight attendants in self-defense and "terrorism prevention."
Major flight attendant unions have opposed armed-pilot legislation because they claim while pilots and the cockpits would be protected, flight attendants would generally remain vulnerable to determined hijackers.
"I look forward to the time when air marshals are on every flight as was authorized in the Aviation Security Act," Boxer said. "Until that time, I believe that pilots who are carefully trained and want to carry a gun in the cockpit should be allowed to do so."
< /sarcasm>
Why can't Magaw or Mineta figure this out?
That should read Federal Air Marshals on every flight.
Say what?
It's Boxer's ilk who will decide who can have guns and who can't.
Pilots - yes
You and me - no
I guess so.
5.56mm
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