Part of the federal responsibility of Congress is to make roads, rails, and the skies across America as safe as possible.
One of my efforts in the previous Congress was the Arming Pilots
Against Terrorism Act. The Act allows commercial airline pilots, on a
voluntary basis, to become qualified, trained, and commissioned as
federal law enforcement officers and to carry firearms for cockpit
defense.
As I've told my colleagues, this isn't about setting up an airborne OK
Corral. This is about deterrence. For pilots, this sets up a new last
line of defense. For the public, this offers one more assurance. For
would-be skyjackers, this says expect the unexpected.
Safety is our first concern. Pilots must undergo Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) approved training before being deputized.
The TSA also sets the protocols for carrying guns (i.e. type of gun,
type of ammunition, where the gun is stored, pilot interaction with the
air marshals, ensuring the pilot does not take the gun into the
passenger cabin).
Arming trained and qualified pilots on a voluntary basis to defend the
cockpits of their aircraft is a necessary step to ensure the safety and
security of the flying public. This is one more layer of safety and one
more layer of security to see that flights arrive at their intended
destinations.
Congressman Crenshaw’s Highway Reauthorization High Priority Requests