BUFFALO, NY- The families of the victims of Flight 3407 are calling on Congress to maintain flight safety standards.
The FAA Authorization is set to expire at the end of this month.
Along with the families, Congressmen Brian Higgins (D-NY27) and Tom Reed (R-NY23) are calling for the re-authorization bill to keep in place tougher pilot training standards that were passed in the aftermath of the crash in Clarence.
"“Without continued vigilance, we risk an unraveling of the great progress made in flight safety for all passengers thanks to the tireless advocacy by the families of Flight 3407,” said Congressman Higgins in a released statement. “We are pushing for the final bill approved this week to maintain the flight safety standards these families fought for and protect the flying public for years to come.”
"We will always remember the tragedy which took the lives of so many in the crash of Flight 3407 and will continue to honor their memory and stand with their family and friends to fight to ensure these enhanced flight safety regulations are reauthorized. We must not back down and lessen these important reforms," said Reed in a statement.
Fifty people lost their lives when the Colgan Air flight crashed in Clarence Center in 2009.
John Kausner lost his daughter Ellyse in the crash. She was only 24 years old.
"Congress is on the verge of sending another strong message to the regional airlines and the administration that the qualification requirements for regional airline first officers should not be weakened or watered down in any way," said Kausner. "We are so grateful to our Western New York congressional delegation for fighting to ensure that this language will not be in this bill, despite the efforts of the airlines and their lobbyists. Now we just need Congress to step up and pass this FAA Bill, whether it be this week or after a short extension, so that the safety law that we fought so hard for continues to work as intended. There has not been a fatality on a regional airline since the crash of Flight 3407, and we are determined to keep it that way in the memory of our Elly and all of our loved ones who were lost."
According to officials, Congress must either pass another short-term extension or reauthorize the FAA by September 30 to avert a shutdown of agency operations.