- yesterday
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) holds a press briefing with families of victims of Continental Flight 3407.
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00:00It's great to see everybody, thank you.
00:02Senator Schumer, thank you.
00:04You still see the pictures?
00:05Yep, yeah.
00:07Hello everybody, thank you all for being here.
00:11Okay, thank you for coming everybody.
00:15And I really appreciate these great families.
00:20We have bonded over many years, over a decade.
00:26And I have never met a group so focused on doing some good, even though they suffered
00:36such terrible losses so unfairly.
00:39And as I said to them many times, the natural instinct when something so unfair and terrible
00:46happens to you is to curse the darkness.
00:51But some people light a candle, which means they work to prevent the same terrible thing
00:59that happened to them from happening to other people.
01:02Not only did they light a candle, they succeeded in having that candle burn bright.
01:08And we're not going to let anybody put it out, I assure you of that.
01:13So thank you, because your inspiration, and not just an inspiration on this issue, as important
01:19as it is, but an inspiration that a group of dedicated people who are just decent, honorable
01:25people can actually change significant things in the world.
01:29So you're the greatest.
01:31Okay, so I thank everyone for coming.
01:34I won't be able to stay the whole time.
01:36There's a lot going on, as you could imagine.
01:40But I think you're going to come see me in my office a little while later, so I look forward
01:45to that.
01:48Now, let's say this.
01:53We're here today.
01:54I said what I want to say about the families.
01:59But what they did is they helped ensure our pilots are the best trained in the world.
02:05To say the least, they changed the course of history.
02:08They gave other people inspiration that they could fight back for air safety in different
02:12ways than these folks are doing.
02:15And they undoubtedly saved thousands of lives.
02:18Thousands.
02:19That's an amazing thing to be able to say.
02:23But we're here today because those safety rules, which have protected us, are under attack,
02:30unfortunately, by the Trump administration and the horrendous choice that he picked to lead
02:36the FAA, who seems to have no concern for passenger safety.
02:42It's a little like the bill they're putting on the floor, which just helps the billionaires.
02:46He wants to just help the established groups who don't care about safety, the airlines and
02:53people like that.
02:56And so when the public is so worried about safety of our skies and we just experience
03:01a terrible crash here in D.C., it makes no sense that we should tell our pilots they need
03:06less training, less experience in the air.
03:11It risks lives.
03:12So let me be blunt.
03:14The callous disregard Mr. Bedford showed for the 1500 hour rule in his hearing was outrageous
03:23and made my blood boil.
03:26But that's who they put in.
03:28They don't put in people who are qualified.
03:29They don't put in people who care about average American families.
03:35They put in special interests and wealthy people, all of whom seem to be in a little bubble.
03:41They just talk among themselves and don't understand what's really going on out there.
03:46I, along with the families, have a history of opposing Bedford.
03:50As an airline CEO, this guy put profits over people.
03:54He was the leading fighter when he was an airline head to roll back the rule.
04:00That shouldn't, under a normal administration, disqualify him for becoming head of the FAA.
04:07But in this administration, it anoints him.
04:12Just makes me so mad.
04:15And most importantly, we needed to not just hear from him, as the families did today, but
04:23we needed to the administration, whether it's the secretary or anyone else in the administration,
04:34commit to keeping the rules, to promise they will not weaken the safety reforms, to promise
04:38they're not going to come up with little gimmicks that say, oh, this is 1,500 hours,
04:43but 300 hours could be reading some book somewhere.
04:48This morning, Secretary Duffy, at my request, and he did honor my request, so I'll give him
04:54that.
04:55He met with the families, but unfortunately, he was unwilling to commit to protecting the
05:021,500-hour rule.
05:04He left the door open to roll back the safety standards, and that is awful and mean.
05:14Duffy says he's committed to keeping our skies safe, and he is committed to holding Bedford
05:19accountable on changes to the 1,500 hours.
05:22When I met with him in my office, Duffy, when he was about to be nominated, I talked to him
05:27about this, and he didn't commit then either, but he gave sort of signs that he was sympathetic.
05:32Signs, you know, little signals that you're sympathetic ain't good enough.
05:38No way.
05:39And so that's what happened again today.
05:43So, we must hold not only Bedford, but Secretary Duffy accountable.
05:50The changes that Bedford has pushed for in his career are an insult to the memories we
05:55lost, to those we lost that day in Buffalo, that cold night in Buffalo.
06:00Let me be clear.
06:02What happened on Flight 3407 should never happen again.
06:06That's what a rule does.
06:07That's what a rule has been successful in doing.
06:10Weakening the rule, reducing the number of hours pilots train in the air is dangerous,
06:15and will inevitably cost lives.
06:18If Duffy, Trump, or these folks think we're going away, don't bet on that.
06:23We're going to be in your face day after day, week after week, month after month, year
06:29after year, to see that these rules are kept.
06:35The American public doesn't want pilots with less training.
06:38People do not want the FAA to roll the dice on aviation safety.
06:44People don't want, every time they get on an airplane, to wonder if the pilot has the
06:50best of training.
06:51Because every time you go on a plane, you are putting your life in their hands.
06:56We fought to get these reforms.
06:59We're fighting to keep these reforms.
07:01And just as we were indomitable about fighting for these reforms and getting them,
07:07we're going to be just as indomitable, making sure they are not diluted in any way.
07:11So I thank you all.
07:13Love you.
07:14Respect you.
07:15Think of the buttons you wear, not just when you're wearing them, but when I think of you.
07:23See you in a little while.
07:25Thank you, everybody.
07:26Now we have three speakers.
07:28We have Karen Eckert, who knows this tragedy in two ways.
07:34We have Marilyn Kausner.
07:35The Kausners have been down here many times.
07:38And, you know, Tim Kennedy has taken up the mantle of helping and being a great partner on this issue.
07:47And I very much appreciate him.
07:49And we'll hear from him as well.
07:51And they gave me a little sign.
07:53So I'm going to hold it up.
07:55Right with all of you.
07:56Okay?
07:57Everyone got it?
08:02I'll wait for you.
08:03Okay.
08:04Thank you, everybody.
08:05See you in a little while.
08:07Sorry, I have to go.
08:08My apologies to the speakers.
08:09Not at all.
08:10No.
08:11Can you talk about how you can get lightheaded?
08:12Leader Schumer?
08:13Here.
08:14My name is Karen Eckert, and I lost my sister Beverly Eckert.
08:18My sister Susan Burke is here.
08:19Beverly was also her sister.
08:20And Beverly was, sadly, a 9-11 widow also.
08:21She lost her daughter.
08:22She lost her daughter.
08:23She lost her daughter.
08:24She lost her daughter.
08:25I'll see you in a little while.
08:26I'll see you in a little while.
08:29Sorry, I have to go.
08:30My apologies to the speakers.
08:31Not at all.
08:32No.
08:33Can you talk about how you can get lightheaded?
08:34Leader Schumer?
08:35Here.
08:36My name is Karen Eckert, and I lost my sister Beverly Eckert.
08:39My sister Susan Burke is here.
08:41Beverly was also her sister.
08:44And Beverly was, sadly, a 9-11 widow also.
08:47She lost her husband in the collapse of Tower 2 at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
08:55I wanted to thank Senator Schumer, but he's gone.
08:58So I want to thank him for all the work he did.
09:01He's been steadfast for 16 years working with us.
09:05Late night hours we've been in his office.
09:07He has worked so strongly for us to make sure that the safety of the American flying public was there,
09:15and it's maintained over all these 16 years.
09:20And I want to thank him for getting a meeting for us with Secretary Duffy.
09:25It's our first meeting with Secretary Duffy.
09:28We asked for the meeting because we had grave concerns about Mr. Brian Bedford, who was the nominee to head up the FAA.
09:36What we heard in the hearing, as Senator Schumer said, was not encouraging at all.
09:44Today, when we met with Senator Duffy, he heard each of our voices, who we lost, the impact on our lives.
09:51What we heard from Secretary Duffy is his utmost commitment to safety.
09:57He said it was safety first.
10:00He also said, we told him, we had concerns about Mr. Bedford.
10:05He said he will hold Mr. Bedford accountable on safety.
10:11He also said he had no plans right now to change anything.
10:16But because he said he listened to us and he said he would hold Mr. Bedford accountable,
10:23we will hold Mr. Duffy or Secretary Duffy accountable, too, that he does hold the line on safety.
10:31He talked about data-driven.
10:33He hasn't seen any data-driven to make any changes.
10:36We sincerely hope that the opening of the dialogue today that we had with him is the start.
10:45It's up to him to finish and work and hold the line.
10:50I'm going to call Marilyn Kausner.
10:56My name is Marilyn Kausner.
10:58I lost my daughter, Ellie.
11:00She was 24 years old, second-year law student, traveling home to Clarence to be her nephew's love luncheon date at his kindergarten banquet.
11:14I felt somewhat encouraged by our meeting with Secretary Duffy.
11:20My husband attended the confirmation hearings just about ten days ago.
11:27He was very discouraged when he left those hearings because Brian Bedford four times refused to confirm that he would uphold the 1,500-hour rule.
11:42So we talked quite a bit about the importance of 1,500 hours of experience of actual flying time and why that is more important than sitting behind a desk or a simulator,
12:03although perhaps down the road someday, as Karen referenced, when there's proven data, they can look at that.
12:14But what Mr. Duffy, Secretary Duffy promised us, the families of Flight 3407, is that he would not make any changes without our consent,
12:27not maybe our consent, but without speaking to us, calling us in for our, at least letting us know.
12:40And he also said that he is Brian Bedford's boss and that Brian Bedford cannot do anything without his permission and that he has no plans to make any changes to the 1,500-hour rule.
12:58That said, it is 16 years later and we are here again and we will continue to vigilantly watch the FAA and Secretary Duffy to make sure that he does what he says
13:20and be assured that the families of Flight 3407 will not go away.
13:30We have fought too hard and we believe that our legislation has indeed saved so many lives.
13:41And I can tell you that the American flying public, because I've done a fair amount of flying, is nervous.
13:49And they don't have a stomach to see rules going backwards and pilots having less training, especially now.
14:00So I hope that Secretary Duffy is listening, and I hope that Brian Bedford is listening, because nobody wants them as the watchdogs of the flying public to do anything but make the skies safer, not less safe.
14:21Thank you very much.
14:31Good afternoon.
14:33I'm Congressman Tim Kennedy.
14:34I represent Western New York, Buffalo Niagara region.
14:38I want to thank the speakers for their profound words and these extraordinary family members of the victims of Flight 3407 for your courage in keeping your family members' legacies alive
14:58and helping to change the laws here in Washington, D.C. that have undoubtedly saved lives in this country and across the global community.
15:08Because it has had a ripple effect on how airlines see their safety.
15:13I'm truly honored to stand here with all of you today.
15:16You can feel your loved ones' spirits with us, can't you?
15:19I think this room shows the power of this group of family members and the importance of them coming together, 21 strong today, 16 years after that tragic accident.
15:40I want to thank Senator Schumer for his leadership, not just on this issue, but on so many other issues as it pertains to airline safety, transportation safety, and his tireless work to ensure that no families have to endure the pain that you have all endured.
16:00These families have taken their grief and turned it into action, and they've delivered real results for our country and for the traveling public.
16:09Our skies are safer because of the advocacy of those individuals we stand here with today, and their refusal to take no for an answer.
16:24Every Western New Yorker remembers where they were on February 12, 2009, when Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed due to pilot error just outside of Buffalo.
16:36It was one of the darkest days in our community's history.
16:40But from that tragedy came a powerful legacy, 16 years without a fatal commercial airline crash in the United States.
16:51It shows that the reforms that were put in place, especially the 1,500 hours of flight experience requirement worked.
17:01Whether it's a small regional airliner or a 747, when you fly in the United States, your pilot has undergone rigorous and extensive training.
17:14So you have the confidence that you are going to make your destination safely.
17:19That is the promise of this group of families in service to their loved ones that they lost 16 years ago.
17:30Unfortunately, despite the proof of this policy working, we continue to see efforts to roll these safety regulations back.
17:39And now we're seeing the strongest indication of this yet, nominating an airline executive, Brian Bedford, to head the FAA.
17:46It's outrageous.
17:49A man who's refused to commit to upholding the 1,500-hour rule.
17:55A man who's gone on record trying to get an exemption for his airline to allow only 750 hours.
18:04And a man who lied about having a commercial pilot's license.
18:09That's not someone you can trust with the safety of our skies and with the well-being of our loved ones.
18:17I'm grateful to stand alongside leaders like Senator Schumer to oppose this nomination and to shine a spotlight on these glaring conflicts posed by Mr. Bedford.
18:27And we're blessed to have advocates like the families of Flight 3407 who are fighting for the preservation of these safety rules with everything they have.
18:37And they're doing it in memory of their loved ones once again to ensure that they did not die in vain.
18:44The Senate must follow the lead of the families and Senator Schumer in rejecting this dangerous nominee.
18:53The safety of our skies should not be up for debate.
18:57Lives are depending on it.
19:00And while I appreciate the sentiment of Secretary Duffy, he didn't commit to rolling back those 1,500-hour rule.
19:13He didn't commit to holding Mr. Bedford's feet to the fire.
19:20That's why the Senate needs to reject this nominee.
19:25We should all be concerned about this administration's track record of not keeping their word.
19:32And we have to ensure that the safety of the skies is of utmost priority.
19:39Rejecting Mr. Bedford, finding a qualified nominee will ensure that that happens.
19:44And I stand with these families and their plight to keep their families, their loved ones, memories alive by the work that they do here.
19:52Thank you for all that you do, and I'm honored here to be with you.
19:59We didn't mean to put you on the spot, but we're going to.
20:05Well, first and foremost, thank you, Congressman.
20:11We've just started to build our relationship with you, and it's welcoming to see how you've embraced what we've shared in our accomplishments.
20:24We also have to extend some appreciation to Congressman Langworthy, who's not with us today.
20:33He also stood tall with us at a time when the FAA reauthorization bill had some weakening to the pilot requirements inclusive.
20:44He stood tall and helped build a coalition to roll that back.
20:48So, again, the Western New York delegation has been fantastic.
20:53Senator Gillibrand, who's also not here, she's also been fantastic.
20:58So, it goes without saying we want to recognize those people.
21:03Listen, our meeting today was essentially the beginning, hopefully, of an open dialogue with the current administration.
21:18And, you know, there clearly were some welcoming signs, but the door has been left open, and that does give us reason to have pause.
21:31So, I personally, along with all of these people, have been coming back here for 16 years, and the word I would use is trust.
21:43Who can we trust?
21:46We know we can trust Senator Schumer.
21:50Can we trust Secretary Duffy?
21:55He and I had a sidebar conversation, and we've agreed to try and build on that trust.
22:01We're going to be watching.
22:03We're going to be watching very carefully.
22:06We will hold him accountable, as we expect him to hold Mr. Bedford, if he gets confirmed, accountable.
22:15And we certainly know we've got a congressional leadership group who will also help us hold him accountable.
22:24Now, now is not the time to weaken safety.
22:28Now is the time to strengthen safety.
22:31Secretary Duffy told us his number one priority, because he did use the word safety a lot, his number one priority is air traffic control.
22:43And let's face it, that's a system that's been broken for a long time.
22:50In fact, that was part of the debate going on in Congress that held up actually getting our bill passed back in 2009.
23:02So it's not something new.
23:04This has been around for a long time, and it is time for Congress to act.
23:08Somebody's got to step forward and take the action.
23:11And I know we've had some conversation with the American airline families with the terrible crash at DCA, and I know that they're pretty vigilant.
23:22They're going to move forward and work on that.
23:24So, anyway, thank you.
23:26I wasn't really going to step forward.
23:28I know I talked too much.
23:29But at the end of the day, trust.
23:35Trust.
23:36That's an important word.
23:38We need to build a trusting relationship, and we need to hold people accountable.
23:45Okay.
23:48Please.
23:49Well done.
23:51Nice job on the spot.
23:52Scottie on the spot.
23:55Scottie on the spot.