WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) is calling on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to stand firm against renewed attempts by the airline industry to delay the implementation of a critical aviation security law aimed at preventing another 9/11-style attack.
In a formal letter, Fitzpatrick urged Secretary Duffy to enforce the Congressionally mandated rulemaking established under the Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2018, which requires secondary cockpit barriers on all newly manufactured commercial passenger aircraft. The FAA finalized the rule in June 2023, giving airlines a full two years to comply. Installations are set to begin in August 2025.
“This law was passed to protect pilots, crew, and passengers from the very vulnerabilities that terrorists exploited on 9/11. “Airlines have had decades to prepare. Any attempt to further delay implementation is not only unacceptable—it’s dangerous,” said Fitzpatrick. “The FAA must enforce the law without hesitation or exception.”
In his letter, Fitzpatrick pushed back on Airlines for America’s renewed call for delay, noting the industry has already had ample input and time to comply. He warned that further postponement would risk public safety and disregard Congressional intent.
Read the full letter below and here:
Dear Secretary Duffy,
First, thank you for your steadfast commitment to prioritizing the safety of passengers, pilots, and flight crews. At a time when public confidence in air travel has been shaken by recent accidents, it is essential that Congress and the Administration work hand-in-hand to rebuild that trust, keep America’s airlines and operators fully accountable, and ensure that air travel remains the safest mode of transportation.
As you know, nearly two decades after the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, President Trump and Congress took an important step toward securing the flight deck of U.S. passenger airplanes with the enactment of the Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2018. This law directed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a rule requiring the installation of secondary cockpit barriers on all newly manufactured commercial passenger aircraft. That rule, finalized in June 2023, provided a two-year implementation window for this safety measure. The installation of these barriers is set to begin on aircraft coming off the production line this August 2025.
I was deeply concerned to see recent reporting that, despite having already had the opportunity to provide input and at such juncture having requested a delayed implementation date, Airlines for America is again asking for more time before prioritizing the safety of their new aircraft. Let me be clear: it is indefensible that this request to undermine the law has been made and worse, that any airline is willing to continue to jeopardize the safety of their own pilots, flight crews, and passengers in the pursuit of a delay.
At the time the FAA proposed this rule, the time before the installation of secondary cockpit barriers were required was a matter of debate. Public comments from public safety advocates, passengers, and airline workers called for an expedited implementation timeline of one year, whereas the airlines demanded three years’ time. When the time came to finalize the rule, the FAA was not silent on the issue: the agency stood firm and kept to the proposed, reasonable two-year timeline for compliance.
Mr. Secretary, nearly twenty-four years have passed since that fateful September day when we lost nearly 3000 lives in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. In the weeks and years that followed, as a nation promised to “Never Forget.” Congress acted on that commitment with the passage of this law, and again in 2024 by extending the rulemaking to include the retrofit of all passenger aircraft. Never again can the cockpit be left so vulnerably open to attack. Twenty-four years is long enough: the time for the installation of secondary barriers to begin is beyond overdue and it is incumbent on the FAA to not delay implementation of this Congressionally authorized national security measure any further.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy matter, please contact Matthew Clarkin (matthew.clarkin@mail.house.gov) and Charles Dent (charles.dent@mail.house.gov) in my office. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Brian Fitzpatrick
Background:
In 2018, Congressman Fitzpatrick authored the original Saracini Aviation Safety Act, which required secondary cockpit barriers on all newly built passenger aircraft. This law honors Captain Victor Saracini, a Bucks County resident and constituent of Fitzpatrick’s, who was killed on September 11, 2001, when United Flight 175 was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
Building on that work, Fitzpatrick introduced the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act, which mandates the retrofit of all existing commercial aircraft with secondary barriers. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation was signed into law last year as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
Together, these laws represent a comprehensive, long-overdue effort to harden cockpit security, close deadly loopholes, and fulfill the promise that we will “Never Forget.”