Emergency landing for Texas congressmen

Seven Texas congressmen, returning to Washington from their districts, made an emergency landing in New Orleans this afternoon when their plane lost cabin pressure.

The plane landed safely, and none of the seven members were injured, according to spokesmen for two of the members.

{mosads}Texas Reps. John Carter (R), Henry Cuellar (D), Nick Lampson (D), Solomon Ortiz (D), Ted Poe (R), Ciro Rodriguez (D) and Ron Paul (R) were traveling on a 1:05 p.m. commercial flight from Houston to Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National airport — the last available flight to arrive in Washington before this evening’s votes, Poe spokeswoman DeeAnn Thigpen said.

About 38 minutes after leaving Houston, the plane lost cabin pressure, and oxygen masks fell from their compartments in the plane’s ceiling. The plane made an emergency landing in New Orleans, which is roughly 300 miles from Houston.

None of the members panicked, and the landing went smoothly, Thigpen said.

The members were traveling to Washington after returning home to their districts for the weekend.

“Typically, the members of the Texas delegation return home on the weekends, and the 1:05 flight is popular because it’s the last one before 6:30 votes, which they have this evening,” Thigpen said.

And the vote the members missed because of the emergency landing — The Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008.