Congress Steps in on DC Security Issue

Filed in archive Aviation News on July 14, 2005

Congress has decided that breaches of restricted airspace by GA aircraft is worth taking some serious, yet overly broad steps.

According to the AOPA website, two amendments to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill were filed this week in the U.S. Senate, the most severe of which is offered by by New Mexico Senators Pete Domenici (R) and Jeff Bingaman (D).

It calls for a $100,000 fine, confiscation of the aircraft, and a five-year loss of flying privileges for "whoever negligently flies an aircraft in a manner that violates the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) and causes the evacuation of a Federal building or any other public property...."

Congress often has knee-jerk reactions to things, but I can sort of understand their angst where this is concerned. However, its still overkill in my opinon. It's really up to us to police ourselves in this post 9/11 era.