Congress Passes Aviation Safety Bill

On Friday, Congress passed a major bill on aviation safety in response to last year's crash of Continental Flight 3407 that was en route to Buffalo, New York, according to the Associated Press.

The bill applies to all airlines and is the first real attempt to revise the rules regarding pilots in decades. Under the bill, airlines are required to hire more experienced pilots, investigate pilots' past experience more thoroughly, supply better training and requires a change in pilots' work schedules to avoid fatigue-related incidents.

The House approved the bill last week. President Obama is expected to sign the bill by Sunday.

Pilot error was deemed the cause in last year's Continental crash. Congressional members praised the family members and friends of that flight's victims, who lobbied heavily for the measure. Sen. Schumer said in a statement: "This is a textbook example of a small group of people who, with only right on their side, were able to overcome large and powerful special interests."