Congressman Cohen Addresses Recent Airplane Crashes

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, today addressed the recent aviation accidents in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia that took the lives of 74 people. He noted that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act passed last year included several safety provisions, such as expanded air traffic control workforce training, improved runway safety and mandated 25-hour cockpit voice recording to better understand the cause of accidents, and pointed out that these initiatives are still in the process of being implemented.

“Safety must always be our top priority,” he said.

Congressman Cohen also condemned the politization and debunked President Trump’s assertion that diversity, equity and inclusion programs played a role in the accident near Washington’s Reagan National Airport.

On the subject of drones, Congressman Cohen discussed the success of the FAA’s BEYOND Program at Memphis International Airport.

“Memphis is proving that drones, when properly managed, can enhance safety and efficiency rather than create new risks,” he said.

See Congressman Cohen’s entire opening statement here.

See his questions to witnesses here.

Witnesses at today’s hearing were:

• Dr. Catherine Cahill, Ph.D., Director, the Alaska Center for UAS Integration (ACUASI), University of Alaska Fairbanks
• Lisa Ellman, Executive Director, Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA)
• Chris McLaughlin, Executive Vice President of Operations, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

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