The last I heard the bill was out of committee and was to be scheduled to be voted on some time in the next session.

That article is substantially incorrect. There are steps needed to improve the program but this was a totally new concept for the bureaucrats to swallow - a volunteer program of Federal Law Enforcement Officers. FFDOs are now the largest armed law enforcement group in the country. Changes are not going to be made rapidly, it is not in the nature of the government to allow hasty rules changes, even if they are justified.

I am all for full time carry but more training needs to be mandated to cover in cabin contingencies. FFDOs need more FAM-like training scenarios and tactical skills to deal with the out of cockpit threats. We still have pilots who do stupid things, every group has their 10%ers, but the FFDO program cannot afford any stumbles until the program has the same training and stature of any other LEO group. So strict screening and training are the only tools we have to prevent cowboys and ego trippers from screwing up this program.