Widows head to Capitol over Senate bill

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - Two women, bonded by the tragedy of Flight 3407, are crusading in the nation's Capitol.

Flight 3407 widows Robin Tolsma and Jennifer West want to look into the eyes of U.S. Senators when they lobby for passage of the FAA re-authorization bill.

That bill is supposed to hit the Senate floor on Thursday, but it may be held up. So these two women packed up their car to drive to the nation's Capitol because neither will fly until the skies are safer. They'll be blitzing all 100 offices of the U.S. Senate with a letter urging them to pass the bill that includes aviation safety measures. But Republican Senator Bob Corker from Tennessee has put a hold on the bill because of a labor provision that would impact federal express, which is based in his home state.

Tolsma said, "Senator Corker owes me Jennifer and the other families an explanation. I want him to tell me in a way that I can explain to my children why he is stalling on this bill and no supporting it."

"And I'm gonna take pictures of my daughter and I'm gonna show it to him and say, 'Look into her face and tell me that you cannot pass this bill. Tell me her father's death was in vain,'" said West.

West added, "It seems like every time we go two steps forward, we go four steps back, but we're going to keep fighting and keep our presence going. We're still going to D.C."

As many as 25 members of the Flight 3407 families are in the nation's Capitol this week. They're also trying to gain support for an amendment to increase the number of flight hours for pilots, but their immediate task is to get the re-authorization bill passed.