Congressman Cohen Hails Passage of PETS Act

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, hailed passage of his Planes Ensuring Total Safety (PETS) Act that was made a part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that passed the House on a vote of 398 to 23 and is expected to be considered in the Senate soon. See his remarks on the House floor here.

The bipartisan, bicameral PETS Act (H.R. 5315), which Congressman Cohen introduced with Rep. Daniel Donovan (R-New York) and Senators John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), directs the FAA to issue regulations to prohibit the storage of live animals in the overhead compartments of airplanes to prevent incidents like the death of Kokito, a French bulldog that died on a United Airlines flight after being stored in an overhead compartment earlier this year.

Congressman Cohen said:

"Reading stories about the terrible treatment of a pet perishing after being stowed in an overhead bin on long-distance flights prompted this vital legislation and I'm pleased it has now passed the House. Dogs, cats, and other animals should never be placed in overhead bins on aircraft. Pets are considered family members and to jeopardize their health, safety, and ultimately their lives should be prohibited."