Airline Safety Act of 2001

Airline Safety Act of 2001 - Declares that no Federal agency may prohibit a pilot, co-pilot, or navigator of a commercial aircraft, or any law enforcement personnel specifically detailed for the protection of such aircraft who is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm, from carrying a firearm for the aircraft's protection.

Requires commercial aircraft that operates in the United States to possess a door or doors secure from forcible entry, and separating the crew cabin from the aircraft's passenger cabin.

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1463 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1463

 To provide for the safety of American aviation and the suppression of 
                               terrorism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 25, 2001

  Mr. Smith of New Hampshire introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for the safety of American aviation and the suppression of 
                               terrorism.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Airline Safety Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four 
        civilian aircraft, crashing two of the aircraft into the towers 
        of the World Trade Center in New York, New York, and a third 
        into the Pentagon outside Washington, District of Columbia.
            (2) Thousands of innocent Americans and citizens of other 
        countries were killed or injured as a result of these attacks, 
        including the passengers and crew of the four aircraft, workers 
        in the World Trade Center and in the Pentagon, rescue workers, 
        and bystanders.
            (3) These attacks destroyed both towers of the World Trade 
        Center, as well as adjacent buildings, and seriously damaged 
        the Pentagon.
            (4) These attacks were by far the deadliest terrorist 
        attacks ever launched against the United States and, by 
        targeting symbols of America, clearly were intended to 
        intimidate our Nation and weaken its resolve.
            (5) Armed pilots, co-pilots, and navigators with proper 
        training will serve as a deterrent to future contemplated acts 
        of terrorism.
            (6) Secured doors separating the crew cabin from the 
        passenger cabin have been effective in deterring hijackings in 
        other nations and will serve as a deterrent to future 
        contemplated acts of terrorism in the United States.

SEC. 3. AVIATION SAFETY AND SUPPRESSION OF TERRORISM BY COMMERCIAL 
              AIRCRAFT.

    (a) Possession of Firearms on Commercial Flights.--No department or 
agency may prohibit a pilot, co-pilot, or navigator of a commercial 
aircraft, or any law enforcement personnel specifically detailed for 
the protection of a commercial aircraft, who is not otherwise 
prohibited by law from possessing a firearm, from possessing or 
carrying a firearm for the protection of the aircraft.
    (b) Reinforced Cockpit Doors on Commercial Aircraft.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, a commercial aircraft described in paragraph (2) that is 
        operated in the United States shall possess a door or doors 
        separating the crew cabin of such aircraft from the passenger 
        cabin of such aircraft, which door or doors shall be certified 
        by the Secretary as being secure against forcible entry from 
        the passenger cabin into the crew cabin of such aircraft.
            (2) Covered commercial aircraft.--A commercial aircraft 
        described in this paragraph is any commercial aircraft that, as 
        determined by the Secretary, is configured so as to permit a 
        door to separate the crew cabin and passenger cabin of such 
        aircraft.
    (c) Regulations.--The Secretary may prescribe regulations for 
purposes of this section.
    (d) Reports to Congress.--Not later than six months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of the 
requirements in this section in facilitating commercial aviation safety 
and the suppression of terrorism by commercial aircraft.
    (e) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
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