Fitzpatrick unveils bipartisan bill to upgrade existing aircraft against terrorists

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on Jan. 30 sponsored bipartisan legislation that would require all current commercial aircraft to have secondary cockpit barriers installed.

“Ensuring the safety of our nation’s aircraft is paramount to protecting the American public,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said on Wednesday.

The Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act of 2019, H.R. 911, would mandate that lightweight wire-mesh gates be installed on existing aircraft between the passenger cabin and the cockpit door to block access to the flight deck whenever the cockpit door is opened during flight, according to a summary of the bill provided by Rep. Fitzpatrick’s office.

H.R. 911 is named in honor of Capt. Victor J. Saracini, who died when his hijacked plane was flown into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Among the 10 members joining Rep. Fitzpatrick in introducing H.R. 911 are U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).

“I’m pleased that a bipartisan group of leaders in the 116th Congress are wasting no time to address retrofitting the remaining aircraft with secondary barriers and continue protecting all who travel in the skies above us,” said Saracini’s widow, Ellen Saracini, who since his death has been a national advocate for aviation safety.

Rep. Fitzpatrick sponsored similar legislation during the 115th Congress, the Saracini Aviation Act of 2017, H.R. 911. Provisions of the bill became law as an amendment tagged onto the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The law requires all new manufactured aircraft to install a secondary cockpit barrier.

“The previous Congress made progress in ensuring that future commercial aircraft are equipped with secondary barriers and we must build on that momentum to include existing commercial aircraft,” the congressman said this week, adding that such a requirement will “make sure the horrors of September 11th do not reoccur.”

Rep. Gottheimer agreed and said it’s time to go a step further “by requiring all commercial aircraft to have secondary cockpit barriers. We must do everything we can to prevent all terror attacks on our country and that includes in our skies.”

The new H.R. 911 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.