[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SARACINI AVIATION SAFETY ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, 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. 
They are easy to deploy and stow, and provide the ``layered 
protection'' that experts agree is needed.
  That is why I have introduced the Saracini Aviation Safety Act. This 
is a one-page bill named after my constituent, United Airlines pilot 
Victor J. Saracini, whose life was taken when his aircraft was hijacked 
and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 
11. It requires that these cost-effective secondary barriers be 
included on large passenger aircraft.
  We promised to never forget those lost on 9/11 and the lessons 
learned by all of us on that tragic day; yet after many years and more 
than 40 hijacking attempts around the world, including five that were 
successful, we are still not taking this threat seriously.
  Mr. Speaker, I will continue to advocate for the adoption of this 
commonsense policy, both as a stand-alone bill or as part of a larger 
piece of legislation like the FAA reauthorization, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me.

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