Third Anniversary of Crash of Flight 3407

by Kathleen Courtney Hochul

Three years ago this week, an unspeakable tragedy occurred when a plane full of people, those who were dearly loved by their families, crashed through a home in Clarence Center, in my district. The cause was pilot fatigue and inexperience, and the cruel irony that it occurred over Valentine's Day weekend was lost on no one.

Yet, out of those ashes arose an indomitable spirit among these families that united them in their grief and brought their quest right here to the Halls in Washington. They wanted to ensure that no other family had to endure having their hearts ripped out the way they all had. They never took "no" for an answer. They never gave up, and they inspired Congress to work in a bipartisan way to pass historic flight safety reform rules.

That's why I am joined by my colleagues from western New York to introduce a resolution to honor them, the victims of the crash, to thank the surviving families of Flight 3407, and to call on the administration to finish the work they started to implement these necessary FAA rules.

Until the will of Congress and of the families we serve is translated into new rules, we will not give up the fight, because the families are counting on us, and they've never given up the fight.