While some anti-gun lawmakers still balk at the idea of arming pilots to defend against terrorist hijackers—preferring to rely on reinforced cockpit doors and the unthinkable, last-step "option" of U.S. military aircraft shooting down commercial airplanes—many lawmakers clearly understand why arming pilots is a good idea when dealing with the threat of terrorist hijackings. "If something were to happen, the last option is to shoot down an airplane," pointed out U.S. Representative John Thune (R-S.D.). "We want to avoid that at all costs." Arming pilots will best ensure we never see a repeat of September 11, and we don’t have to worry about the possibility of that "last option."
H.R. 4635 now has 52 co-sponsors, and is scheduled to be addressed next Wednesday, June 26, by the full House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. S. 2554, which extends the training program to all qualified flight deck crew, has 11 co-sponsors, and both bills also provide self-defense training for flight attendants. Please contact your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121 and your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge them to co-sponsor these bills. Those on the Internet can find additional contact information by using our "Write Your Reps" tool.
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