The Saracini Aviation Safety Act (H.R. 911) has been introduced in Congress by a bipartisan team of Representatives, André Carson, Brian Fitzpatrick, Josh Gottheimer, and Peter King, reports the Bucks Local News.
The Saracini Aviation Safety Act seeks to prevent 9/11-style terror attacks by requiring the installation of secondary cockpit barriers on commercial aircraft. The barriers are wire-mesh gates that would be added to the cockpit doors to make access to the cockpit more difficult. The gates are lightweight and inexpensive.
The Act is named for Captain Victor J. Saracini. Saracini was the pilot of United Flight 175 who was murdered by terrorists in the attacks of September 11, 2001. His widow, Ellen Saracini, has fought for greater cockpit safety since the attacks.
“It is unacceptable that, more than 15 years after terrorists breached the cockpit of my husband’s airplane on September 11, 2001, our skies are still susceptible to repeat this act of terrorism,” said Ellen Saracini. “I’m pleased that a bipartisan group of leaders in the 115th Congress are wasting no time to address the important issue of secondary barriers and begin protecting in the skies above us.”
The Saracini Aviation Safety Act is endorsed by 9/11 Commission Chair Tom Kean, former Secretary of Homeland Security and Governor Tom Ridge, the Air Line Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association, the US Airline Pilots Association, the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants, the Port Authority of NY & NJ, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and many 9/11 family members.
