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Daily Caller - Legislative Lowdown: Cravaack saves armed pilots program

News Article

Date: June 8, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Transportation

By Brian Darling

Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) passed an amendment last week to an appropriations bill to increase funding for the Federal Flight Deck Officer program (FFDO), better know as the Armed Pilots Program. The program was created after 9/11 in order to prevent another 9/11-style terrorist attack. Cravaack has saved it from anti-gun Obama administration officials who wanted to bleed the program dry of money.

The administration budget cut the program in half. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano publicly stated at a House hearing earlier this year that she does not see the armed pilots program as necessary to aviation security. Napolitano has blocked the program from training new pilots and has continued policies that deter pilots from volunteering for it.

Fortunately, Congress has rejected yet another terrible idea from the Obama administration by restoring funding and increasing resources for this critical national security program.


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