By: Karen Remley, MD, MBA, MPH, FAAP, CEO/Executive Vice President, American Academy of Pediatrics
"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) applauds the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee and the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for advancing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bills that include the bipartisan Airplane Kids in Transit Safety (KITS) Act. The Airplane KITS Act (S. 1167/H.R. 2485) requires FAA to update emergency medical kits onboard commercial airplanes with appropriate medications and medical equipment for children.
"When a family boards a commercial flight, they should not need to worry about whether the plane has medications and medical equipment at the ready to keep their children safe in the event of an in-flight medical emergency. Currently, the emergency medical kits on airplanes are not equipped to meet children's unique needs. During medical emergencies, when every second counts, medications and medical equipment in appropriate doses and sizes for children must be available on airplanes; the Airplane KITS Act would ensure just that. Congress has not required the FAA to update the emergency medical kits on airplanes since 1998, making a review of their contents long overdue and necessary.
"Pediatricians also commend the Senate and House committee leadership for including the bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers Act (S. 1110/H.R. 2375) in their respective FAA reauthorization bills. This legislation will help ensure that mothers who are traveling can access a clean and private place to breastfeed or pump breastmilk in an airport.
"The Airplane KITS Act and the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act are common-sense policies that give families the peace of mind they deserve when they are traveling. The AAP thanks Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Representatives Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) and John J. Faso (R-N.Y.) for authoring and championing the Airplane KITS Act as part of the FAA reauthorization process, and urges both of these provisions to be signed into law without delay."
###
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.