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Floor Speech
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Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, this is a solemn occasion for me and for many people I know, and I rise this evening to recognize and honor the 67 lives we lost, 1 year ago tomorrow, on January 29, 2025.
On that night, Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, KS, and flew toward our Nation's Capital with 64 passengers on board. In Washington, DC, a Black Hawk helicopter with three Army soldiers would soon be in the air as well. Flight 5342 was just minutes away from a safe landing at Reagan National Airport when the plane and the Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River.
Shortly after 9 p.m., I received a call with the news that a flight from home--from Kansas--was involved in an accident in our Nation's Capital. I made my way to Reagan National Airport that night. The banks of the Potomac River were illuminated with lights from emergency responders who were searching the icy waters of a crash site.
At the airport, I was joined by local leaders and the newly sworn-in Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy. Our conversation that night was one of many that would then span the course of the following year, trying to understand how an accident like this could occur and how to prevent it from ever happening again.
At the airport, we learned the tragic news that there were no survivors. Of those who perished, seven were Kansans.
Kiah Duggins, a civil rights attorney and a Wichita native, was set to begin teaching at Howard University School of Law.
Lindsey Fields, a professor at Butler Community College and the president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers, was traveling to our Nation's Capital to advocate for the issues that mattered to her.
Bob and Lori Schrock, a prominent and very well-liked couple of farmers from Kiowa, KS, were on their way to visit their daughter in college in Pennsylvania.
Grace Maxwell, an engineering student from Wichita, was returning to college after attending her grandfather's funeral at home in Kansas.
Dustin Miller, an IT professional who grew up in El Dorado and was a lifelong Chiefs fan, told his mom he was going to try to make it back in time to watch his team play in the Super Bowl.
PJ Diaz of Wichita was described by his loved ones as a world traveler who had been to 49 States. He especially loved cruises and had an extra-long cruise planned for later that year.
Sadly, 28 members of the U.S. Figure Skating community also lost their lives--young athletes traveling back from the National Development Camp in Wichita, with their coaches and family members.
Maxim Naumov, a 24-year-old U.S. figure skater, lost both of his parents in the accident. In the wake of this tragedy, Maxim used his love of skating to overcome this immense loss and now heads to the 2026 Olympic Games, just weeks away, to achieve his lifelong dream that he shared with his parents. We will all be cheering him on.
A year later, the memory of this night--the deadliest aviation incident that America had witnessed in nearly 25 years--is as painful as it was when we first heard the news. The victims were husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, friends and coworkers.
As we mourn the victims, we also remember the heroism, solidarity, and love displayed that night. Hundreds of first responders worked tirelessly through the night and into the coming days. Strangers offered comfort, and people checked in on their neighbors.
Since January 29, the families of the victims have tried to find meaning and purpose after the death of their loved ones and have worked to eliminate the likelihood of an accident like this ever happening again.
A family, in particular, that I would like to mention, Tim and Sheri Lilley, lost their son Sam. He was the copilot for Flight 5342, the plane.
Following the tragic accident, the Lilley family has used its voice to become an advocate for safer skies, in honor of their son Sam.
I am grateful for the advocacy of the families who are gathered here tonight in the Nation's Capital to remember their family members, to mourn the losses, to comfort each other. I am grateful for the families of the victims over the last year as they work to advocate for changes at the FAA--Federal Aviation Administration--and congressional legislation like the ROTOR Act.
Thanks to their support, the Senate advanced this critical legislation last year. This was an important step, but our progress has been stalled in the House.
The National Transportation Safety Board's hearing just yesterday further confirmed that this legislation could have made a difference on January 29 a year ago. We cannot afford to waste any more time. I urgently insist the House of Representatives quickly pass this legislation or amend it and pass it so we can find consensus.
I want to commend NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy and her team on their thorough investigation of the crash. Their report will guide Congress in the coming weeks in our efforts to ensure safety in the skies.
In addition to passing and implementing the ROTOR Act, Congress will soon hold a hearing--after the NTSB releases its final report in about 2 weeks--to review the findings and recommendations. We need to determine what, if any, congressional action is necessary to implement these recommendations and make certain the FAA and Army are making the recommended changes, provide funding for further modernization of our aviation system, advance new technologies at the FAA, and train and support air traffic controllers. We cannot--we should not--miss the moment to act and ensure lasting change.
I cannot imagine the pain each of the families of the victims has experienced every day since January 29. This week, their loss must be felt especially hard as they face the anniversary of the crash.
Tonight, I want to remember those who perished--67 lives that ended way too soon. We resolve to honor their legacy, work to make our skies safer, and remember those we loved who lost their lives.
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