Start from as we should all events with the pledge of allegiance to the flag behind me blood allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible, with liberty and Justice for all alright. Thank you all for coming um just want to briefly introduce some of the people that have joined us here today um we have ellen saraceni who needs no introduction um. My friend and colleague representative josh gottheimer Christmas from the pilot United Airlines ugh candy as from the President of United Airlines cafe and local officials. We have, we have a state representative perry Warren who has done a great job advancing bipartisan solutions and community safety in harrisburg cris harding the mayor of Bro who has been a tremendous advocate for our community millwork our sheriff here in bucks County again, who's really really done a great job. Um committing to keeping our community safe up liese chief lucy, who will get to in the second uh who played a very, very instrumental role, is only can attest to uh in the days immediately after nine 11 here in our community, we have Jeff goldberg who is the fire Marshall um deputy fire marshal from yardley make field Chris salts firefighter from lower make John came in. she Engineering firefighter and with that I wanna touch upon um basically, what this bill is. What it's about it's nine 11 and essentially will require Airlines to install inexpensive, lightweight wire mesh Gates. A-section derry, cockpit barriers and, most commercial aircraft and, as you can see, right in front of me here the Gates position between the passenger cabin and the cockpit door would help prevent 89 11 style terror attack by blocking access to the flight deck whenever the cockpit doors open during flight and it was introduce Saraceni aviation safety act, 19 11 with my colleague, josh gottheimer, ugh Andre carson and Peter King of New York currently has eighty six Co sponsors and senator casey introduced the Senate version is nine 11 in April of two thousand 17 and we're here this morning also to honor the memory of the nearly three thousand people who were killed on nine 11 including the eighteen from bucks County who are described in this memorial right behind us it's been nearly 17 years Since our community members lost their lives on that horrific day and surely we all have not forgotten in fact, that's the point of this memorial here and since then we have witness the power of the individual the courage and selflessness and patriotism. Uh of everybody in our community. But it was hometown rememberance and love that gave rise to the peaceful lingering beauty that is this memorial that we're standing in today this place captured captures the natural splendor of bucks County and remains the place to seek solace and reflection and this natural setting remains the place to seek solace and reflect upon the souls lost Your names were carefully carved onto the sweeping memorial to remain forever. Much because of the work of balance, saraceni here and we remember ellen slate husband captain victor saraceni the former Navy pilot who flew United flight one 75 with another pilot seven flight attendants and 56 passengers on the morning of September eleventh terrorist on the cockpit of United one 75 killing captain karisa saraceni and his first officer, Michael horrocks hijack the aircraft and flew Into the South tower of the world trade Center and today, though, we aren't here to relive the tragedy, but rather to remember it and to act upon it and to honor those who have lost and none of us would ever choose to go through. That day again. But all of us must choose what it is. We take away from it and we think of the firefighters and first responders the people who went rushing into danger when the whole world was running away from it and I remember um how tragic this events we're as we all do, we remember where we were on that day and after the attacks on nine 11 we made a promise never again never. Land will never again will we allow aka commercial airliner to be turned into a weapon of war because of the bridge cockpit and in the nine 11 report. All kinda mastermind complete shaykh muhammad told our kinda terrorists to watch the cockpit doors at takeoff and landing to observe weather the captain went to the lavatory during the flight and to know whether the flight attendants brought food to the cockpit. We all know what happened when these attackers stormed the flight deck and turning airliner into of war, but yet today 17 years After the attacks of September, eleventh the still admits that the cockpit is vulnerable when the reinforced door is open and that is unacceptable and we know the terrorist study. Our vulnerabilities and make their plans accordingly. Yet even after the recommendations of the nine 11 Commission report emphasize the importance of quote waylon's security system still action has not been taken to install what you see in front of me here. Simple cost effective protection which cost approximately five thousand dollars to build and install think about the tens of billions five dollars we spend on aviation security to keep our land safe from to air traffic controllers to security at airports and yet this steps still has not been taken just gottheimer ellen and I've been working with the pilots and the flight. Attendants to make sure that this cost effective safety measures are installed on every single commercial airplane. It only takes a split second for a train hijacker waiting at the precise moment to Russia cockpit and take control of that plane and this common sense bipartisan saraceni aviation safety act as sat in Congress for years To date, it has eighty- six Co sponsors. 60 - one Democrats, 25 Republican, but it is never been brought to the House floor for a vote. That's why. I'm proud to stand here with josh and ellen and josh you're, gonna hear from me the second is the Co chair of the problem solvers caucus which is gonna talk about how that's relevant to this bill that we're seeking to advance so with that. I'm gonna introduce up in one saraceni who needs no introduction um this is a person of tremendous character, tremendous strength has been an inspiration to myself to josh to everybody back here um and has done so much for our community and this is a woman who is taking her pain and turned Uh we can't control the things that happen to us in life, but we can control how we respond to those things and ellen has responded in absolutely heroic fashion. Uh everybody on Capitol Hill knows that one because she make sure she that they know who she is that she is has dogged determination. She is not going to stop until she takes the pain that she's experienced and translates it in action to make sure that future pilot future aircraft and future Americans and people across the globe are safe from acts of terrorism and terrorism, like this so everyone, thanks for being here Mike is yours. Thank you I think that at all so I might just be able to walk away. No, um Brian States, a lot of things that are very important. That have to be taken care of that we're not taking care of right now we all remember where we were on September eleventh. We all could be repeating that again. That we will remember to repeat because the vulnerability that happened on September eleventh still exist today on the flight deck. We heard the words of the terrorist And what they said was wow. This is really easy. We're, not looking at any other form. They they looked at what they're bombings did on the world trade Center. Um earlier and they determined that it was too problematic to use bombs and explosives, even though the thought has moved that the gravity has changed into it being that bombs and explosives of are the things we have to worry about the threat has not evolved the threat has now escalated. We still have that vulnerability on our flight deck and we now have other threats that combine um the safety of our passengers and crew on an aircraft So we have a simple solution. It is to put a barrier. Um much like what we do in America to take care of our dogs. We all know, dog parks. How you open up one door. You allow the dog to come in. You close that door and secure that area, making sure that your pet is safe and sound until you open up the other door it's exactly what we're talking about in the cockpit it's easy to install and it needs to move forward so how do we do that um. We have to. We have legislation it's been three Congress is at this point which is way too long to have comments Legislation move forward, but I will be patient and what we have right now. Thank goodness. Is some representatives um josh, gottheimer, Brian fitzpatrick, stand here with me because they will not walk away from this issue. They understand completely what this issue means. They understand that they are going to be facing another family member, like me when I had to knock on their door and say I have to tell you a story here's, what's happening and no one is making sure that this does not get repeated again so our are we just saying Well, maybe we have this vulnerability, no we're not because we have federal air marshals on excelled aircraft. We have pilots armed in some of the aircraft. We have saying that if you open up that cockpit door, you have to perform a procedure and if you have secondary barrier on the aircraft, you have to use it. We have the who decided to do a three year long study to determine if there was this vulnerability on the flight deck of which it came out. Yes, absolutely Currently there is and the only one thing that was able to stop the intruder in enough time to close the cockpit door was the secondary barrier. So thank you all for being here. Um this is going to move forward. I know it we're taking baby steps right now because we do have movement forward um and uh. I just can't look another family member in the eyes and say I'm sorry I knew there was an issue and I decided not to do anything about it. This is about continuing on this is about making sure that our skies are safe so thank you all for being here I wanna introduce josh gottheimer he's the congressman from New Jersey. Thank you Morning ugh thank you very much. Ellen and Brian um and to our first responders to law enforcement and firefighters. Thank you very much for always getting our backs we're. All very grateful for you and you know when I was running for office a couple of years ago. You know if you were there early cause. I got one was I sat with um with law enforcement and I sat with pilots and um and someone you know, one of the pilots connected me to ellen and said you have to talk down because when you get there to Congress You, gotta go to work on this issue. It's critical I'm from northern New Jersey, right outside of New York city and we had so many families who perished uh lost lives. Uh on nine 11 and so many people were touched by what happened that day and and obviously, the years after um so as we as where we're less than a month away from another anniversary as Alan said it's unacceptable that Ryan and I have to keep knocking on the doors and Congress with our colleagues and let's get this done there's just no reason why this isn't done and Ellen keep it up you've just been a tireless force and and you've Justice is bryan so artfully sad he just turned um uh tragedy into into action and thank you, we're all very, very grateful for your balance And I just wanna thank Brian fitzpatrick for his excellent leadership and for being fiercely independent voice for bucks and bucks County and for montgomery County. His experience fighting terror with the, with us special forces and, as a prosecutor as well as his work on foreign Affairs Committee on homeland security and small business committees. Clearly informs the work he does everyday I'm very proud to call him not just the colleague but a friend and someone I work with quite a bit on a host of issues, including this one. You know there's, a reason why We're standing here together it's because we both believe that America always comes before any political party that action for the country should always come first and so I'm very proud to be here today and to join you and to join others here and to talk about this critically important issue. It's it's a beautiful day and the garden of reflection. This morning um honors the memory is Brian said of nearly three thousand people who were killed on nine 11 including eighteen from bucks County and 703 from my home state of New Jersey, uh and um one of the people I also first weapon that with only on which keeps the drug a whose son perished after nine 11 in the clean up because we have so many people who uh that's, remembering today who lost their lives. That day but also lost their lives after who were on the pile for, for so long um and we honor their legacy and all their legacy is to make sure tragedy like this never occurs again to all those who lost tonight at 11 in the war on terror. We honor you and remember you and your sacrifice and your bravery. We always You in the American spirit on my countless New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents that day and we remember, as Brian said Allen husband capture saraceni and former Navy pilot who flew United, one 75 from Boston, Logan international on that tragic day, the historical record reflects the two pilots. Seven flight attendants and 56 passengers aboard United flight one 75 acted bravely in the face of unspeakable terror that morning, on the morning on that morning, I'll long after the plane and reach cruising altitude, farm terraces See the close to the cockpit door attack. The flight crew killing captain and first officer oracle hijacking the plane and recruiting at the New York city. Those of these memorials are solemn reminder of the grave day and the grave risks that are pilots and everyone on those planes take when they get on and of course, all of our first responders safe face everyday when they wake up yeah it was Brian pointed out recently reported the is considering eliminating passenger shirt security, screening at certain small and medium size airports accost saving decision that is penny-wise and pound-foolish don't forget the nine 11 Tara took flight lessons at small airports like venice municipal airport in Florida and they flew from the airport in portland maine to Boston on the morning of the attacks we simply cannot afford any shortcuts in the fight against terror. I think we all agree the minute we become complacent in the fight is the minute we lose. We have clearly let yet to learn all the lessons from nine 11 shared by former New Jersey, governor kaine and vice chair by Lee hamilton the nine 11 Commission reported several key recommendations, including steps to address the aviation security that Prior to nine 11 many of them have been implemented, but as Brian pointed out, that is Allen pointed out, the remains one glaring vulnerability. One that is yet to be fully acted upon. The ongoing failure to install the secondary barriers on flat flight deck barriers. We just haven't done that and to me it just doesn't make any sense and that's the one Brian is obviously here to talk about without losing the flight attendants and first responders and palates all agree that it's time to get this done 17 years after nine 11 No barriers to a terrorist charging up the aisle of the plane entering the cockpit slamming the fortified door and taking down the plane with our loved ones. We have to act just last year. The Department of transportation inspector general. You should report that found at the has still not effectively mitigate of these vulnerabilities fl tissue guidelines and guidance is how to how air carriers should block access to cockpit doors until April 20 15 nearly 14 years after we've all been on this airplanes. They roll out a drink card. another Drink are, as a way to stop the terrorist right if you talk to flight attendants and pilots, will tell you that is not going to cut it. God forbid another terrorist charges up. This is what we need. This is what we need. That's. Why. Brian I've been working on this tirelessly without one and we flight attendants and everyone behind us and first responders right there's, a reason why and what bryan mention is coach, so they call the problem solvers caucus with bryan are very proud to be members of it's a bipartisan group, half Democrat half Republican. We get together every single week or in Washington to figure out where we can work together beyond party lines right for what's good for America To and put progress first, this is the kind of issue we talk about this is not partisan right. That's why there's a bipartisan group supporting this legislation to do the right thing and thanks to representing the fitzpatrick leadership, we manage to get language, including the re authorization act the passed the House on April require secondary bat flight deck barriers to be installed on all new aircraft while this legislation doesn't go far enough to protect all pilots flight attendants and passengers and what still awaits a vote in the Senate. This bill marks a critical step in the right direction and shows the growing support For the saraceni aviation safety act, congressman, fitzpatrick and I will do everything we can to make sure our law enforcement officers and all first, responders get the resources they need to do their jobs effectively and to make sure that everyone on planes pilots and flight attendants and passengers are protected so we will keep fighting and fighting against terror right. We wanna make sure whether it's, at home against lone wolf isis inspired terror or abroad it's okay to an isis and other terrorist factions that We do everything we can to stop terror in its tracks. Thank you. Thank you for having me today. It's an honor to be here. God bless you all and God bless the United States of America And now I'm I'm proud to introduce Christmas, album in the pilot's course Good morning and first officer Chris mccullough and we're proud member of the airline pilots Association and a 21 year pilot at United Airlines. Eyewear was at United for four years when the tragic events of nine 11 occurred was top rated and qualified on both types of aircraft. That we use that day as weapons of Mass destruction was a resident of New York city at the time. These events were very personal to me and have been very Professional to me um for the last 21 years the tragic events of nine 11 we're doing part two in adequate reinforcement or security of the aircraft cockpit shortly after nine 11 Congress and the mandated reinforced hard and cockpit doors as the first layer of security for the cockpit It's part of a layered defense of the cockpit and it should include the use of the secondary barrier because the primary vulnerability of that hard and cockpit door is when it has to be opened. It fly routes on the Boeing triple seven. Now that are 14 15 16 hours in length and I can assure you that at some point in that flight, I have to go to the bathroom and I can assure you at some point that flight I need to eat alright, that door has to be open Allow me to the lavatory and for the flight attendants to pass up our meals that is winning aggressor is gonna take his shot at getting into that cockpit and turning my airplane into weapons of Mass destruction and me and my passengers in the victim's idea wanna. Let that happen the secondary barriers and, as you can see in the picture here, is a lightweight, proven, effective, inexpensive means of slowing down the aggressor just long enough for me to get that cockpit door slam shut in his face. I can see him coming. I can get back in the cockpit. I can close the door That's what this does why it's not installed on all the aircraft yet I have no idea in two thousand 32 of the major Airlines install them on the few of their airplanes and then they stopped. Why aren't they on all of the airplanes that you and your family fly on everyday make no mistake but threat is still out there. There have been over 57 hijacking attempts worldwide since nine 11 the us government just recently revamped the size that commercial aviation is still a target for terrorism Last session during the hundred fourteenth Congress legislation was introduced, saraceni aviation safety act, um that mandated secondary barriers on all aircraft. We got part of what we wanted, aversion to those bills which meant to mandate the secondary barriers on all new aircraft, was um included in the re authorization bill and pass the full Senate, but the House counter part passing out of Committee without ever bringing it to the floor for a vote, so what do we want. Why are we here Today today we're insisting that Congress include the secondary berry requirement in any re authorization legislation that is considered in a hundred and 15 Congress and we're also asking where insisting that the require secondary barriers on all commercial aircraft. Thank you very much for your time. It's my honor to be here today to speak on this very important topic Continues and I'm also gonna introduce Kennedy as from the Association of flight attendants to speak on behalf of my fellow crew members, aboard the aircraft. Good morning everyone. My name is Ken. I'm the President and representing over 24000 flight attendants at United Airlines. If there's always been fully committed and has repeatedly lobby contract Congress for multi layered approaches to keep our aircraft Safe and to give us the tools as flight attendants, as this nation's last responders on those aircraft were to protect our traveling public. This bill does just that secondary barriers will prevent the breach of the cockpit door today we use the beverage cart and we put that beverage cart as a deterrent. It's not a deterrent. If anyone wants to rush that cockpit door today that beverage cart goes down in an instant and that person is right over that tragedy would not have happened Had that cockpit door and I've been breached today we're faced at a time in this country were everyone talks about the politics going on in this country. I'm here to say today that we have to brave congressman stepping up to the play congressman fitzpatrick and Congress in the gottheimer realize that it didn't matter whether they had and are already behind their name. They were gonna do right for Americans right for everyone that flies on our aircraft as a flight attendant for 20 years and United Airlines on nine 11. I was based in New York. I was a person that morning I'm gonna flight going to Chicago sitting next to my fellow colleagues from flight 93, who never so again my family's personal tragedy, got compounded when we found out that day that, along with ellen's husband, my cousin angel perished in the South tower and I looked at his 10 year old and eight year old daughter at that time and I said never again this is common sense Legislation in implore everyone call your congressman support. This legislation and to ellen words can't describe and I'm speaking for flight attendants across the industry. She's been our hero. She took her personal grief and changed it into activism and today we're standing heard before you 17 years later, asking for something that should be done. I worked flights that have this barrier installed. I know it protects the carpet. Why is the nation Waiting 17 years to enact this so on behalf of all the flight attendants give us the tools we need to protect. You. Thank you for letting me speak today Uh thank you all for attending. I wanna give our state representative terri Warren, an opportunity, if you're much congressman and thank you, Congress, men, for coming to our beautiful memorial here in lower make field township in support of this bipartisan legislation to thank you for your leadership and supporting this bipartisan legislation and thank you to Mrs saraceni captain, Mr for joining us as a member of the Pennsylvania House of representatives iced and in support of nine 11 the saraceni aviation safety act and I'm Proud to join these, ladies and gentleman today and support of that act. Let's make America safer in the air and on the ground by passing hr nine 11. Thank you What a close by um reference seeing of you pages of the notes of the nine 11 Commission report, which I was kind enough to share with us. This is from collegiate mohamad the mastermind behind nine 11 complete shake. My mama told them to watch the Cabinet doors at takeoff and landing to observe weather the captain went to the lavatory during flight and to know whether the flight attendants brought food into the cockpit complete shake my Hollywood alot and House me also visit the travel agencies to learn the visa requirements for certain countries that's on page 54 reference to page one 49 one of the named terrace claims that during their time in Spain, keema hama data also discuss how the hijackings will be executed. Auto said that he and angela had encountered no problems carrying box cutters on cross-country surveillance flights best time in their mind, to storm the cockpit would be about 10 to 15 minutes after takeoff when the cockpit doors typically we're open for the first time audit do not believe that we need any other weapons. He had no firm Planning case the cockpit door was locked while he mentioned general ideas, such as using a hostage, were claiming to have a bomb. He was confident the cockpit doors will be open and do not consider breaking them down of viable idea. This is coming directly from the mouth of the nine to 11 hijackers. This would prevent that from happening and yet still is not happen and that's why I'm so thankful for josh my colleague and more importantly, my friend from coming down from New Jersey to support this. He was the very first person that approached me on the floor of the House on our very first day earlier last year, the session we got something in and ellen was also the very first Come to me uh advocate for this bill. These into champions. I wanna thank all of our elected officials at perry worn nowhere else want to thank chief Ken lucy, who again did a fabulous job in the days right after nine 11 this community was really impacted hard as well as our nation um and for all the other people that are here today, so josh and I'll be free for questions off to the side, but I wanna thank you all for coming. Thank you