U.S. Rep. Ron Paul | pilot |
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Three Important Issues For America
11 February 1998 1998 Ron Paul 7:44
It is conceivable to me that it would be to Hussein’s benefit, and he probably is not worried that much, but I do not believe it is in our interest. I do not believe it is in the interest of the American people, the American taxpayers, the American fighter pilots, and certainly long-term interest in the Middle East. We will spend a lot of money doing it. That is one issue.
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2000 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT
March 29, 2000 2000 Ron Paul 21:9
Who is going to fly the Blackhawk helicopters? Do my colleagues think the Colombians are going to fly them? You can bet our bottom dollar we are going to have American pilots down there very much involved in training and getting in much deeper than we ever should be.
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Inflation Is Still With Us
3 May 2001 2001 Ron Paul 30:6
Although the economy is now slowing, and fuel prices are skyrocketing for the airlines, Delta pilots are receiving salary increases of between 24 and 34%. Other evidence of labor cost increases is now available even with the large and growing number of announced layoffs. Wage prices pressure is more often than not a consequence of monetary policy, not a tight labor market.
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Foreign Interventionism
September 25, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 80:27
The clamor now is to give more authority and money to these agencies. But, remember, important industries like as our chemical plants and refineries do not depend on government agencies for security. They build fences and hire guards with guns. The airlines have not been allowed to do the same thing. There was a time when airline pilots were allowed and did carry weapons, and yet this has been prohibited by government regulation set to go into effect in November.
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Foreign Interventionism
September 25, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 80:28
If the responsibility had been left with the airlines to provide safety they may have had armed pilots or guards on the planes just as our industrial sites have. Privatizing the FAA, as other countries have, would also give airlines more leeway in providing security. My bill, HR 2896, should be passed immediately to clarify that the federal government will never place a prohibition on pilots being armed.
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Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security
October 9, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 82:8
Some argue that pilots have enough to do worrying about flying the airplane and have no time to be concerned about a gun. Yet why do we allow drivers of armored vehicles to handle both? Why do we permit more protection for money being hauled around the country in a truck than we do for passengers on an airline? If government management of airline security has already failed us, why should we expect expanding the role of government in this area to be successful? One thing is for sure, we can expect it to get very expensive and the lines to get a lot longer. The government’s idea of security is asking, “Who packed your bag,” or “Has the bag been with you since you packed it?” and requiring plastic knives to be used on all flights while taking fingernail clippers from the pilots.
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Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security
October 9, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 82:9
Pilots overwhelmingly support their right to be armed, with some even threatening not to fly if they are not permitted to do so. This could be done quickly and cheaply by merely removing the prohibition against it, as my bill HR 2896 would do. We must not forget that four well-placed guns could have prevented the entire tragedy of September 11th.
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A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS --
October 25, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 90:10
We are not even considering restoring the rights of pilots to carry weapons for self-defense as one of the solutions. Even though pilots once carried guns to protect the mail and armored truck drivers can still carry guns to protect money, protecting passengers with guns is prohibited on commercial flights. The U.S. Air Force can shoot down a wayward aircraft, but a pilot cannot shoot down an armed terrorist.
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A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS --
October 25, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 90:20
It is aggravating to listen to the daily rhetoric regarding liberty and the Constitution while the same people participate in their destruction. It is aggravating to see all the money spent and civil liberties abused while the pilot’s right to carry guns in self-defense is denied. It is even more aggravating to see our government rely on foreign AWACS aircraft to provide security to U.S. territory. A $325 billion military budget, and we cannot even patrol our own shores. This, of course, is just another sign of how little we are concerned about U.S. sovereignty and how willing we are to submit to international government.
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Statement on Air Safety Legislation
November 1, 2001 2001 Ron Paul 94:1
Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Securing America For Effective Transportation, or Safety, Act. This legislation is in stark contrast to the bureaucracy laden approaches of other bills. My bill would not create new federal spending nor new federal bureaucracies. The actions taken by this legislation fit into a few broad categories. First, it would give airline pilots the right to defend themselves, their aircraft, and their passengers by permitting them to bear arms. Second, it would clearly define the act of skyjacking as an act of piracy and provide appropriate punishment for any such act, up to and including capital punishment. Next, this legislation would provide appropriate strengthening of regulation of airline security in a fashion consistent with our constitutional framework. This would be done by requiring, for example, that law enforcement personnel be posted at screening locations rather than simply in the confines of an airport, and by requiring the production of passenger manifests for international flights. Finally, this bill would give airlines a strong incentive to improve passenger security, not by giving them taxpayer funded grants nor by creating new bureaucracies tasked with making administrative law, but rather by providing a tax incentive to airlines and other companies performing screening and security duties.
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The Case For Defending America
24 January 2002 2002 Ron Paul 1:17
Our government’s ridiculous policy regarding airline safety and prohibiting guns on airplanes has indoctrinated us all, pilots, passengers and airline owners, to believe we should never resist hijackers. This sets up perfect conditions for terrorists to take over domestic flights just as they did on September 11.
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The Case For Defending America
24 January 2002 2002 Ron Paul 1:19
Sadly, the Congress went in the opposite direction in providing safety on commercial flights. Pilots are not carrying guns, and security has been socialized in spite of the fact that security procedures authorized by the FAA prior to 9–11 were not compromised. The problem did not come from failure to follow the FAA rules. The problem resulted from precisely following FAA rules. No wonder so many Americans were wisely assuming they better be ready to protect themselves when necessary.
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Stop Perpetuating the Welfare State
May 16, 2002 2002 Ron Paul 42:21
An independent evaluation of Minnesota’s welfare reform pilot found it to be perhaps the most successful welfare reform effort in the nation. The evaluation found Minnesota’s program not only increased employment and earnings but also reduced poverty, reduced domestic abuse, reduced behavioral problems with kids and improved their school performance. It also found that marriage and marital stability increased as a result of higher family incomes.
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Is America a Police State?
June 27, 2002 2002 Ron Paul 64:81
But what does our government do? It firmly denies airline pilots the right to defend their planes, and we federalize the security screeners and rely on F16s to shoot down airliners if they are hijacked.
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Is America a Police State?
June 27, 2002 2002 Ron Paul 64:82
Security screeners, many barely able to speak English, spend endless hours harassing pilots, confiscating dangerous mustache scissors, mauling grandmothers and children, and pestering Al Gore, while doing nothing about the influx of aliens from Middle-Eastern countries who are on designated watch lists.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:2
The first Enlisted Pilot, Vernon L. Burge, earned his wings in the old Signal Corps in 1912. Prior to World War 11, 282 enlisted pilots served in the Signal Corps, then in the Army Air Service and later in the Army Air Corps as rated pilots. Many flew the Air Mail during the early 1930s of the Roosevelt Administration.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:3
With the approach of WWII, aircraft manufacturers were producing aircraft faster than the Air Corps could fill with pilots. To qualify for Flight Training, a cadet was required to have two years of college. To fill this shortage of pilots, Congress enacted legislation in 1941 authorizing enlisted men to participate in aerial flight.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:4
To qualify for Pilot Training, the enlisted men had to meet several stringent requirements. They had to be enlisted in the regular Army, not drafted, possess a high-school diploma, pass a rigid physical exam, and sign a contract with the Army avowing that upon completion of Flight Training, they would continue serving in the Army Air Corps as Staff Sergeant Pilots for three years, as Technical Sergeant Pilots for three years, as Master Sergeants for three years, and end the contract as Warrant Officer Pilots.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:5
The Enlisted Pilots (aviation students) attended the same ground schools, same flying schools, had the same flight instructors, same training airplanes, and successfully completed the same curriculum as the Aviation Cadets.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:6
Almost 2,500 enlisted men graduated as Enlisted Pilots from Ellington, Kelly, Luke, Mather, Columbus, Dothan, Lubbock, Moody, Roswell, Spencer, Turner, Victorville, Williams, Craig and Stockton Air Bases in Classes 42– C through 42–J, the last class of Enlisted Pilots.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:7
Upon graduation, and ordered to participate in Aerial Flight by General “Hap” Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Corps, these pilots flew Douglas A–20s, Curtis P–36s and P–40s, Lockheed P–38s, North American P–64s, Douglas C– 47s, C–48s, C–49s, C–53s. They flew many of these aircraft in combat as Staff Sergeant Pilots. Later, as officers, they flew all of the aircraft in the Air Force inventory during and after WWII.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:9
Charles “Chuck” Yeager, the first pilot to exceed the speed of sound, completed his flight training as an enlisted man but graduated as a Flight Officer in December 1942. Bob Hoover, the world renowned military and civilian acrobatic pilot was an Enlisted Pilot. Walter H. Beech served as an Enlisted Pilot in 1919 and later founded the Beech Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:10
The Air Force honors the third Enlisted Pilot, William C. Ocker, for pioneering instrument flying by naming the Instrument Flight Center at Randolph AFB in his memory.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:11
Captain Claire Chennault organized a flight demonstration team at Maxwell Air Field in 1932, called the “Men on the Flying Trapeze” (the forerunner of the Thunderbirds), which at one time included two Enlisted Pilots, Sergeant William C. McDonald and Sergeant John H. Williamson. Staff Sergeant Ray Clinton flew solo stunt and backup for the team.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:12
The Enlisted Pilots’ accomplishments are many and their legend is a long one of dedication and patriotism. Seventeen became Fighter Pilot Aces and thirteen became General Officers. They pioneered many air routes throughout the world. After release from active duty, they became airline pilots, airline union heads, corporate executives, bank presidents, teachers, doctors, manufacturers of racing cars, corporate aviation department heads, and much, much more.
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Commemorate A Unique And Magnificent Group Of Aviators
25 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 77:13
Of the almost 3,000 American Enlisted Pilots from 1912 through 1942, approximately 600 remain. They are a terminal organization — most of them are in their early eighties.
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Department of Homeland Security
26 July 2002 2002 Ron Paul 80:8
Recently the House passed a bill allowing for the arming of pilots. This was necessary because the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) simply ignored legislation we had passed previously. TSA is, of course, a key component of this new department. Do we really want to grant authority over appropriations to a Department containing an agency that has so brazenly ignored the will of Congress as recently as has the TSA? In fact, there has been a constant refusal of the bureaucracy to recognize that one of the best ways to enhance security is to legalize the second amendment and allow private property owners to defend their property. Instead, the security services are federalized.
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Statement Opposing the use of Military Force against Iraq
October 8, 2002 2002 Ron Paul 96:20
Reality: The "no-fly zones" were never authorized by the United Nations, nor was their 12 year patrol by American and British fighter planes sanctioned by the United Nations. Under UN Security Council Resolution 688 (April, 1991), Iraq’s repression of the Kurds and Shi’ites was condemned, but there was no authorization for "no-fly zones," much less airstrikes. The resolution only calls for member states to "contribute to humanitarian relief" in the Kurd and Shi’ite areas. Yet the US and British have been bombing Iraq in the "no-fly zones" for 12 years. While one can only condemn any country firing on our pilots, isn’t the real argument whether we should continue to bomb Iraq relentlessly? Just since 1998, some 40,000 sorties have been flown over Iraq.
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War No Excuse For Frivolous Spending
3 April 2003 2003 Ron Paul 46:2
For example, this bill provides a hidden subsidy to vaccine manufacturers by transferring liability for injuries caused by the smallpox vaccine from the companies to the United States Taxpayer. It also provides $3.2 billion dollars for yet another government bailout of the airline industry, as well as a hidden subsidy to the airlines in the form of $235 million of taxpayer money to pay for costs associated with enhanced baggage screening. Mr. Speaker, there is no more constitutional reason for the taxpayer to protect what is, after all, the airlines’ private property, than there is for the taxpayer to subsidize security costs at shopping malls or factories. Furthermore, the airlines could do a more efficient and effective job at providing security if they were freed from government rules and regulations. I remind my colleagues that it was government bureaucrats who disarmed airline pilots, thus leaving the pilots of the planes used in the September 11 attacks defenseless against the terrorists. I would also remind my colleagues that anti-gun fanatics in the federal bureaucracy continue to prevent pilots from carrying firearms.
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The Lessons of 9/11
April 22, 2004 2004 Ron Paul 27:27
Instead of immediately legalizing a natural right of personal self-defense guaranteed by an explicit Second Amendment freedom, we still do not have armed pilots in the sky. Instead of more responsibility being given to the airlines, the government has taken over the entire process. This has been encouraged by the airline owners, who seek subsidies and insurance protection. Of course, the nonsense of never resisting has been forever vetoed by all passengers.
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Praising Private Space Exploration
June 25, 2004 2004 Ron Paul 44:1
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate and commend the designers, builders, sponsors, and pilot of SpaceShipOne on the occasion of its successful flight out of earth’s atmosphere on June 21, 2004. What is most remarkable about SpaceShipOne, of course, is that it is the first privately-financed and privately built vehicle to leave the Earth’s atmosphere.
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Praising Private Space Exploration
June 25, 2004 2004 Ron Paul 44:2
SpaceShipOne was designed and built by Burt Rutan and piloted by test pilot Michael W. Melvill. It was launched successfully from Mojave California, reaching a height of 100 KM (62 miles ) above the Earth’s surface. Remarkably, SpaceShipOne is entirely privately-financed, chiefly by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen.
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Opposes Commemorating 9/11
9 September 2004 2004 Ron Paul 66:2
This legislation is an endorsement of the policy of restricting freedoms at home that I have consistently opposed, including praise for the creation of the bloated and impotent Department of Homeland Security, the liberty-killing PATRIOT Act, and many other futile measures. It praises the notoriously ineffective air marshal program while avoiding altogether one of the most important lessons of the September 11, 2001 tragedy; The entire disaster could have been avoided with just one gun in the hands of each of the pilots. Four guns could have prevented September 11, 2001, but we are no closer to arming pilots than we were on September 10, 2001. Shortly after the attacks, I introduced a bill to allow pilots to be armed. Eventually, a version of that bill was passed, but pilots are still not armed. I also introduced several other bills to deal with the attacks of 9/11, protect us against future attacks, and do so without sacrificing our liberty.
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The 9-11 Intelligence Bill: More Bureaucracy, More Intervention, Less Freedom
October 8, 2004 2004 Ron Paul 77:7
Congress could promote both liberty and security by encouraging private property owners to take more responsibility to protect themselves and their property. Congress could enhance safety by removing the roadblocks thrown up by the misnamed Transportation Security Agency that prevent the full implementation of the armed pilots program. I cosponsored an amendment with my colleague from Virginia, Mr. Goode, to do just that, and I am disappointed it was ruled out of order.
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The 9-11 Intelligence Bill: More Bureaucracy, More Intervention, Less Freedom
October 8, 2004 2004 Ron Paul 77:9
Immediately after the attack on September 11, 2001, I introduced several pieces of legislation designed to help fight terrorism and secure the United States, including a bill to allow airline pilots to carry firearms and a bill that would have expedited the hiring of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) translators to support counterterrorism investigations and operations. I also introduced a bill to authorize the president to issue letters of marque and reprisal to bring to justice those who committed the attacks of September 11, 2001, and other similar acts of war planned for the future.
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America’s Foreign Policy Of Intervention
26 January 2005 2005 Ron Paul 6:26
The present situation requires the government to punish some by targeting those individuals who clearly offer no threat. Any airline that tries to make travel safer and happens to question a larger number of young Muslim males than the government deems appropriate can be assessed huge fines. To add insult to injury, the fines collected from the airlines are used to force sensitivity training on pilots, who do their very best under the circumstances to make flying safer by restricting the travel of some individuals.
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Pension Protection Act
15 December 2005 2005 Ron Paul 126:2
However, I oppose this rule, because I do not like the process under which this bill is being brought to the floor. The rule before us today does not allow any member to offer, or vote on, amendments that may improve this bill. In particular, I was hoping to vote on an amendment protecting United Airline retirees from having their pension benefits reduced or terminated even though United expects to make $1 billion in profit within 1 year of being discharged from bankruptcy. The Senate version of the bill does address same problems of the airline industry. However it fails to protect United Airlines retirees. The Federal Government should not facilitate a large companies getting out of its contractual obligations to their retired workers. I, therefore, urge my colleagues to protect the pensions of retired United Airline employees by rejecting this rule and voting for a rule that allows us to consider adding, language helping the United Airline retirees to the bill. If this rule does pass, I urge my colleagues to move the process foreword by voting for the bill and working to add language protecting the United Airline pilots to the bill when it goes to conference with the Senate.
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Tribute To Edward Behne
19 September 2006 2006 Ron Paul 80:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Major Edward Lee Behne, a decorated military veteran, entrepreneur, husband, and father who passed away on September 8. Major Behne served his country by flying UH–1 Hueys in Vietnam from 1967 to 1970. Major Behne is the Vietnam War’s second-most decorated army pilot, having received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Legion of Merit, a VN Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star and Palm, two Silver Stars, six Bronze Stars, VN Service Medal (9 campaigns), two Meritorious Unit Citations, and 80 Air Medals.
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Another NASA Success
21 September 2006 2006 Ron Paul 83:5
Coming less than 2 months after the successful mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery , the Atlantis mission is another demonstration of the skills and dedication of all NASA personal. I therefore urge all my colleagues join me in extending congratulations to NASA for the successful completion of the Atlantis mission. And extend a special thank you to Atlantis ’s crew of Commander Brent Jett, Mission Specialist Joe Tanner, Mission Specialist Steve MacLean, Pilot Chris Ferguson, Mission Specialist Dan Burbank, and Mission Specialist Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, and the ground team that worked with the shuttle crew to make this mission a success.
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MISTAKES: JUST A FEW!
June 3, 2009 2009 Ron Paul 63:8
We deliberately liquidate debt, especially government debt, by debasing the currency. We refuse to accept the fact that the debt cannot be paid, and future obligations are incomprehensible with revenues crashing and unpredictable while expenditures are put on auto pilot with no new request being denied.
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- Trust funds are being robbed, hundreds of billions at stake
20 February 1997 Texas Straight Talk 20 February 1997 verse 7 ... Cached
A number of years ago it was decided that establishing trust funds was a good way to earmark money for specific projects. These trust accounts would be paid into by those who use the particular service or project. For example, when a pilot fills up his plane with fuel, the tax on the fuel goes into a special trust fund. Under the law, money from the fund goes only for projects dealing with airport issues - like new runways, control towers, and radar systems. The same holds true for the canal systems, the highways, and, of course, Social Security.
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Playing with matches in the powder keg
05 April 1999 Texas Straight Talk 05 April 1999 verse 9 ... Cached
Of course, what is also not lost on our military is that this Administration does not really worry about things like military morale. After all, the Air Force is trying to wage this mission with a record low number of pilots, diminishing weapons and resorting to cannibalizing pilot-less aircraft for spare parts. The other branches are likewise seeing fewer recruits. And it is no wonder! Why would any young person choose military service -- or to stay in the military -- when it may require being captured by hostile forces, in the most untenable of situations, while performing missions that have no relation to our national security under the command of foreign leaders?
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Draft not needed for protection of liberty
23 August 1999 Texas Straight Talk 23 August 1999 verse 7 ... Cached
In fact, any crisis that might warrant a draft most likely will not have a front, as was demonstrated in the recent action against Yugoslavia. Pilots flying high-tech planes dropped bombs on targets selected with the aid of orbiting satellites and directed by computer technicians thousands of miles distant.
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What Should Government Do for the Airlines?
24 September 2001 Texas Straight Talk 24 September 2001 verse 8 ... Cached
There are steps the government can take immediately to enhance airline security. It should undo regulations that have in effect disarmed pilots, and create a clear policy that permits airlines to establish their own rules regarding the arming of flight crews. Many commercial pilots once carried firearms, but federal rules now require that airlines go through a process of FAA-administered training classes that literally have never been conducted. It is ludicrous to leave pilots defenseless in the cockpit. A federal air-marshall program may be needed in the short run, but ultimately we should insist that pilots and flight crews be allowed to defend themselves and their passengers so that any future hijacking attempts can be thwarted.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 2 ... Cached
Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 3 ... Cached
In the days since the September 11th tragedy, hundreds of Americans have contacted my office concerning airline security. Most are angry and appalled that our planes were left so vulnerable to hijacking, especially considering the terrorists needed only simple boxcutting knives to carry out their depraved plan. The American people understandably are shocked at the ease with which the airplanes were overtaken and the defenseless pilots removed from the cockpit. The resounding message that people have conveyed to my office is very clear: the federal government should allow pilots to be armed.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 4 ... Cached
The case for arming pilots is simple. The fundamental duty of any pilot is to ensure the safe operation of his aircraft. Safety is utterly compromised if a terrorist takes control of a plane, or violently attempts to do so. Our commercial pilots fly very precious human cargo, in very dangerous and expensive machines capable of killing many people on the ground. Whether we like it or not, part of a pilot's job in this modern era is to guard his plane, which is every bit as valuable to our enemies as a bank vault is to a criminal. So why do we guard the bank vault, but not the plane in flight? Pilots clearly must be able to defend themselves and their passengers, and the most direct and sensible approach is to permit them to carry firearms in the cockpit.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 5 ... Cached
We should recognize that pilots themselves overwhelmingly favor having the choice to carry a gun when they fly. In fact, some have refused to return to work until they are permitted to do so. The airline pilot's unions, including the large Air Line Pilot's Association, recently urged Congress to allow arming of pilots. Congress, the administration, and the FAA should not second-guess the actual pilots who ultimately stand in harm's way in the event of a hijacking attempt. Surely pilots know better than any of us how best to maintain security in the skies.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 6 ... Cached
FAA regulations effectively prohibit flight crews from carrying weapons. Although airlines technically may send employees to FAA-conducted seminars to obtain permits, no such seminars have ever been held. I recently introduced legislation which establishes a clear federal rule that allows airlines to decide for themselves whether to arm pilots, without interference from the FAA or other federal agencies.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 7 ... Cached
No amount of law enforcement efforts or heightened airport security can guarantee that a terrorist will never again board an aircraft with a weapon. Terrorists can bribe airport personnel, impersonate police, or even get jobs working in airport security. They can work for the many private contractors that maintain, clean, fuel, and stock planes parked at the gate. They can become baggage handlers. Ultimately, pilots must be still be able to defend themselves against a weapon smuggled onto an aircraft.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 8 ... Cached
Cockpit doors can be strengthened, but putting more weight in the nose of a plane may require expensive structural retrofitting, and the doors have to be opened for pilots to eat or use the bathroom. Heavy cockpit doors also cause pressurization problems between the cockpit and the main cabin. Emergencies could arise that require access to the cockpit, such as the illness or incapacitation of one or both pilots. So simply sealing off the front of the plane is not an easy remedy to the hijacking threat.
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Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?
01 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 01 October 2001 verse 9 ... Cached
In the short term, of course, some federal action may be necessary. Armed sky marshals can serve to reassure the flying public while the airlines work to rebuild ridership. Military monitoring of the skies is needed to provide a rapid response if another hijacking were to occur. However, we must allow the private airlines to implement their own security measures to protect their crews, their passengers, their aircraft, and people on the ground. Arming pilots is a small but critical first step in making air travel safe.
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Effective and Practical Counter-Terrorism Measures
15 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 15 October 2001 verse 5 ... Cached
Arm Pilots: It is unthinkable to leave pilots defenseless in the cockpit after the events of September 11th. We trust pilots to operate multimillion dollar machines filled with human cargo, yet incredibly we do not trust them with firearms. While airport security certainly can be strengthened, pilots must have the choice to carry weapons as a last line of defense against future hijacking attempts.
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Business as Usual in Washington?
29 October 2001 Texas Straight Talk 29 October 2001 verse 9 ... Cached
While Congress debates airport security, we are not even seriously considering restoring the right of pilots to carry weapons for self-defense. Even though pilots once carried guns to protect the mail, and armored truck drivers can still carry guns to protect money, protecting passengers with guns is prohibited on commercial flights. The US Air Force can shoot down a wayward aircraft, but a pilot cannot shoot down an armed terrorist. Pilots need a last of defense in the cockpit.
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U.S. Taxpayers send Billions to our Enemies in Afghanistan
05 November 2001 Texas Straight Talk 05 November 2001 verse 5 ... Cached
Bin Laden himself received training and weapons from the CIA, and that agency's military and financial assistance helped the Afghan rebels build a set of encampments around the city of Khost. Tragically, those same camps became terrorist training facilities for Bin Laden, who uses some of the same soldiers our military once trained as lieutenants in his sickening terrorist network. Our heroic pilots are now busy bombing the same camps we paid to build, all the while threatened by the same Stinger missiles originally supplied by our CIA. Once again, the stark result of our foreign aid, however well-intentioned, was the arming and training of forces that later become our enemy.
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The Feds at the Airport
19 November 2001 Texas Straight Talk 19 November 2001 verse 4 ... Cached
A constituent of mine who happens to be an airline pilot put his opposition to federalized airport security quite succinctly: "I don't want the same people who bring me the IRS and the ATF to be in charge of airport security." In other words, federal agencies are not exactly known for their efficiency and excellence, to put it mildly. So why are we convinced that a federal takeover of airport security is such a good idea? I have spoken to many commercial pilots since the events of September 11th, and hundreds more have called, written, and emailed my office. I can assure you that not one agreed that airport security should be federalized. These men and women spend their working lives in airports and in the air; they are more vulnerable than any of us to terrorist hijackings. We should listen to their ideas about airport security before we let Congress create a massive new federal bureaucracy.
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The Feds at the Airport
19 November 2001 Texas Straight Talk 19 November 2001 verse 7 ... Cached
I'm happy to report one small victory in the aviation bill, however. Legislation I introduced to allow the arming of pilots was included in the final version (despite the efforts of anti-gun forces in both the House and Senate). I plan to closely monitor the Transportation department to insure it moves forward with programs certifying pilots to carry firearms.
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 2 ... Cached
PILOTS vs. BUREAUCRATS
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 3 ... Cached
More than 20,000 airline pilots presented a petition to Congress last week, demanding the right to carry guns in the cockpit to prevent future terrorist hijackings. Pilots from all of the major unions, including the large AirLine Pilots Association, overwhelmingly favor having the choice to carry a gun when they fly. These pilots are the men and women who actually stand in harm's way in the event of future hijacking attempts, and surely we should trust their judgment over the judgment of armchair bureaucrats and pundits in Washington. Yet the Transportation department continues to ignore both the wisdom of pilots and federal law by refusing to implement rules allowing firearms in the cockpit.
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 4 ... Cached
Pilots already fought this fight last November. Congress passed an armed pilots provision as part of a larger airline safety bill, and the President signed the legislation. Transportation Secretary Mineta, however, has a long history of opposition to gun rights as a Congressman- and his anti-gun bias is interfering with his ability to do his job. He is no longer a lawmaker. His job now is to implement the laws passed by Congress. Yet like the IRS, the Transportation department simply won't follow laws it doesn't like. This illustrates perfectly how we have come to be governed by unaccountable, unelected bureaucrats who constantly undermine the legislative process.
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 5 ... Cached
The case for arming pilots is simple: the fundamental duty of any pilot is to ensure the safe operation of his aircraft. Safety is utterly compromised if a terrorist takes control of a plane or violently attempts to do so. Armed pilots act as a last line of defense for themselves, their passengers, and people on the ground. Firearms in the cockpit also serve as a strong deterrent against hijacking attempts.
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 6 ... Cached
The arguments against arming pilots are very weak and motivated by an irrational fear of guns. Our pilots are entrusted with the safety of very precious human cargo every time they fly. It is ludicrous to believe that men and women with the skills, temperament, and judgment to fly incredibly complex planes cannot be trusted with simple handguns- and also highly insulting to professional pilots. The arguments about bullets piercing the fuselage are silly, because small bullet holes clearly are less of a worry than a takeover of the flight deck by terrorists! Furthermore, aircraft engineers can point to dozens of incidents where commercial aircraft landed safely even with much larger holes in the cabin.
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 7 ... Cached
Legislation I introduced last September simply repeals current Transportation department regulations that prevent airlines from training and arming pilots. This approach puts the decision to arm pilots directly in the hands of the private individuals and companies that actually fly and own the aircraft that are at risk from hijacking. The weaker legislation already passed by Congress allows the Transportation department to establish and run a certification program for pilots wanting to carry guns, which requires active participation by the foot-dragging Mineta. Clearly he will do everything possible to prevent implementation of any government-run armed pilots program.
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Pilots vs. Bureaucrats
06 May 2002 Texas Straight Talk 06 May 2002 verse 8 ... Cached
Pilots, airlines, and understandably nervous travelers deserve more from the federal government. No amount of airport security can guarantee that a terrorist will never again board a domestic flight with a weapon. Since armed marshals can't be on every flight, pilots are the last line of defense against future terrorist acts in the skies. Why on earth does our government insist on disarming the same pilots we otherwise trust with our lives?
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Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
24 June 2002 Texas Straight Talk 24 June 2002 verse 2 ... Cached
IMPERIAL TRANSPORTATION BUREAUCRAT SAYS YES TO LAVISH OFFICES, NO TO ARMED PILOTS
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Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
24 June 2002 Texas Straight Talk 24 June 2002 verse 6 ... Cached
This is the same Mr. Magaw who recently announced at a Transportation committee hearing that he "would not allow" pilots to carry guns. That’s right, he would not allow it. In other words, the undersecretary believes that he, rather than Congress, will determine federal policy regarding armed pilots. This incredibly arrogant assumption of legislative power by an unelected bureaucrat should outrage every member of Congress, and every American who cares about the separation of federal powers. Apparently Mr. Magaw cares little for a Constitution that authorizes Congress, not unelected bureaucrats, to make the laws.
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Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
24 June 2002 Texas Straight Talk 24 June 2002 verse 7 ... Cached
His pompous display on national television angered many pilots, who recognized Magaw’s disdain for their abilities. The undersecretary made clear his belief that the men and women we entrust to fly our families cannot be trusted with simple firearms. His ludicrous statement- that pilots cannot fly the plane and defend the cockpit at the same time- utterly ignores the reality that pilots can’t fly at all if they’re left defenseless as terrorists overtake them! The bottom line is that guns in the cockpit might have changed the outcome of September 11th.
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Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
24 June 2002 Texas Straight Talk 24 June 2002 verse 8 ... Cached
We’ve already seen the Transportation department, headed by anti-gun Secretary Mineta, refuse to implement the armed pilots program passed by Congress last fall. The department must be learning from the IRS, which often simply refuses to allow new deductions passed by Congress. Both agencies demonstrate the disturbing trend toward lawmaking by unaccountable administrative agencies.
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Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
24 June 2002 Texas Straight Talk 24 June 2002 verse 9 ... Cached
Arming pilots remains the smartest and sanest approach to making the skies safer immediately. Pilots themselves overwhelmingly support having the option to carry arms in the cockpit, and we should listen to them rather than self-appointed policymakers in federal agencies. While the usual anti-gun forces predictably oppose armed pilots legislation, the supposedly gun-friendly Bush administration should not stand in the way of pilots defending themselves and their passengers. Mr. Magaw should be fired if he refuses to implement the law.
pilot
Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
24 June 2002 Texas Straight Talk 24 June 2002 verse 10 ... Cached
A new armed pilots bill recently passed in the Aviation subcommittee, and may see a vote later this year. While I support this bill, which essentially makes pilots federal deputies, my own legislation is more direct. My bill simply allows the airlines and pilots to decide for themselves whether to allow guns in the cockpit. This approach respects both the Second amendment and the private property rights of the airlines. While no amount of security can guarantee another terrorist won’t again board an aircraft with a weapon, Congress can make sure pilots are not left defenseless by passing a direct armed pilots bill and overseeing its immediate implementation.
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TSA- Bullies at the Airport
29 November 2004 Texas Straight Talk 29 November 2004 verse 4 ... Cached
TSA was created in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Although the National Guard, DOD, FBI, CIA, NSA, and FAA utterly failed to protect American citizens on that tragic day, federal legislators immediately proposed creating yet another government agency. But the commercial flying community did not want airport security federalized, and my office was inundated with messages from airline pilots opposing the creation of TSA. One pilot stated, “I don't want the same people who bring me the IRS and ATF to be in charge of airport security.” But Congress didn't listen to the men and women who spend their working lives flying, so it created another agency that costs billions of dollars, employs thousands of unionized federal workers, and produces poor results.
Texas Straight Talk from 20 December 1996 to 23 June 2008 (573 editions) are included in this Concordance. Texas Straight Talk after 23 June 2008 is in blog form on Rep. Paul’s Congressional website and is not included in this Concordance.
Remember, not everything in the concordance is Ron Paul’s words. Some things he quoted, and he added some newspaper and magazine articles to the Congressional Record. Check the original speech to see.