[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 5, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S3731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Ms. Snowe):
  S. 3263. A bill to require the Secretary of Transportation to modify 
the final rule relating to flightcrew member duty and rest requirements 
for passenger operations of air carriers to apply to all-cargo 
operations of air carriers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I am proud to join my colleague 
Senator Snowe in once am introducing legislation to improve aviation 
safety.
  The Safe Skies Act we are introducing today will close a loophole in 
the Department of Transportation's recent rule on pilot fatigue, and 
ensure that pilots of cargo planes are just as well rested and prepared 
for their important work as the pilots of passenger planes who they 
share airports and airways with.
  Following the tragic crash of Flight 3407 in 2009, Senator Snowe and 
I introduced legislation to address several important aviation safety 
issues, including the need to update pilot fatigue regulations to 
reflect new, scientific research.
  Under the new rule issued by the Department of Transportation, pilots 
of passenger planes will be limited to flying eight or nine hours, 
depending on the start time. Minimum rest periods will be 10 hours, 
with the opportunity for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
  Unfortunately, cargo pilots were left out of the rule--which 
undermines the one level of safety we are trying to achieve in our 
airline industry.
  Current rules regarding cargo flight operations permit cargo pilots 
to be on duty as many as 16 hours during a 24-hour period, regardless 
of when they begin their shift. Compared to passenger pilots, cargo 
pilots are permitted to fly 60 percent more hours--as much as 48 hours 
in a 6-day period.
  Keeping cargo pilots out of the improved flight and duty time 
regulations does not make sense; they too need rest in order to safely 
perform their jobs. And the safety of our skies depends on all pilots 
performing well.
  This legislation directs the Secretary of Transportation to apply the 
same flight and duty time regulations for pilots of passenger planes to 
cargo pilots as well. This bill is supported by the Airline Pilots 
Association, the Independent Pilots Association and the Coalition of 
Airline Pilots Associations, and has been championed in the House by 
Representatives Chip Cravaack and Timothy H. Bishop.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation 
as part of our ongoing efforts to improve the safety of our Nation's 
aviation system.
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