[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12239]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     GIVE PILOTS A FIGHTING CHANCE

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on September 11 terrorists 
took over commercial flights by using only box cutters. No one would 
have known their evil intent, but now we have an opportunity to stop 
and deter future hijackings and acts of terror by arming our pilots.
  The gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure chairman, and the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mica), the Subcommittee on Aviation chairman, offered a 
common sense solution for preventing the passengers and crews of 
commercial flights from becoming sitting ducks. Their bill, H.R. 4635, 
Arming Pilots Against Terrorism, would begin a 2-year test program 
allowing a percentage of the current pilot workforce to be armed and 
trained for proper use.
  At least half of the Nation's commercial airline pilots have military 
or law enforcement backgrounds and are highly skilled and trained in 
self-defense. We trust pilots daily with our lives operating high-tech 
aircraft. I know we can depend on their competence as armed protection.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 4635 and give our pilots a 
fighting chance to protect innocent civilians from murderous 
terrorists.

                          ____________________