Letter to the Honorable Bill Shuster, Chairman, and the Honorable Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee - Hearing on Electronic Devices on Airplanes

Letter

Dear Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio:

I write to request a hearing on transportation of lithium batteries by air and U.S. efforts to ban electronics larger than cellphones in carry-on bags on commercial airplanes. We have all seen the videos of devices using lithium ion batteries burst into flames. The Administration put in place this ban on planes arriving from 10 specific airports in the Middle East and North Africa earlier this year. However, the Administration has chosen not to go so far as to broaden this ban to European airports after reassessing the potential threat posed by these electronics in the hands of terrorists. Experts have pointed out that fires caused by lithium batteries are more easily detected within the cabin of an aircraft as opposed to within the cargo hold. We need to learn more about the threats electronics and lithium batteries pose on board aircraft, whether in carry-ons or stowed in checked luggage.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

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