National Alerts

Rep. Hostettler Petitioning FAA Over Armed Pilots Law

Written by Gun Owners of America Published: 06 February 2002

— Please ask your Congressman to sign the Hostettler petition

Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) is getting fellow Congressmen to sign a letter that he will send to the Federal Aviation Administration next week. You will remember that the FAA posted questions on its website, asking the public to offer recommendations on how to implement the armed pilots law. The deadline for submitting comments to the agency is next week. (See http://www.gunowners.org/a012202.htm for details, especially if you have yet to contact the FAA in this regard.)

Rep. Hostettler will be submitting his own comments to the FAA, and has already managed to get more than two dozen Congressmen to join him. But with your help, he thinks he can get several more.

The Hostettler letter reaffirms the overwhelming Congressional support for “arming of airline pilots with firearms to counter the new terrorist threat.” The letter makes several recommendations, and then ends with these thoughts:

All major pilots’ associations and the American people overwhelmingly support an effective armed airline pilot program. We urge the FAA to move swiftly to implement regulations that allow for implementation of this measure that will greatly improve the security of our skies.

ACTION: Please urge your Congressman to quickly sign on to the Hostettler letter. You can use the pre-written letter below to help direct your comments to Capitol Hill, or call your Representative at 202-225-3121. To identify your Representative, as well as to send a message via e-mail, see the Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm on the GOA website.

—– Pre-written message —–

Dear Representative:

I hope you agree that arming pilots is one of the most important security measures that our nation can take right now. For all its efforts, Congress will never succeed in effectively disarming terrorists. People still continue to smuggle weapons through security checkpoints at airports, and that is why the federal law allowing pilots to defend their passengers and crew must be implemented immediately.

In November, President George Bush signed legislation — overwhelmingly approved by Congress — that would let pilots carry firearms in airplane cockpits. But there is still work to be done before that provision becomes a reality.

I urge you to join Rep. John Hostettler in expressing the sense of the House during a comment period that has been established by the Federal Aviation Administration. The comment period ends soon, so please contact his office and add your name to that letter.

This will let the FAA know that the House is united and determined to follow through regarding this vital security matter. Thank you.

Sincerely,