Wants Attendees To Contact Senators To Support Pilots Bill Of Rights 2

By Tom Patton

United States Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) has been attending AirVenture since before it was called AirVenture ... 36 years according to the Senator. As a licensed commercial pilot, Inhofe has been a champion of general aviation issues in the U.S. Congress.

Inhofe was successful in 2012 in getting the Pilots Bill of Rights passed by the congress and signed by President Obama, but almost immediately went to work on a Pilots Bill of Rights 2, which addresses some of the issues the were not included in the first bill, such as third class medical reform.

Inhofe currently has 54 co-sponsors for the legislations, which he hopes to introduce as an amendment to the Highway Bill in the Senate next week. But Inhofe wants at least 60 senators on the bill so that any attempted filibuster can be dealt with.

Inhofe said that when he goes back to Washington Saturday, he hopes to have a those last six cosponsors lined up. Do do that, he's enlisting the help of pilots and aviation enthusiasts at AirVenture.

The list of Senators who have already signed on to cosponsor the bill can be found here.  "Think of them as the good guys and the bad guys," Inhofe said. "And if you don't see the name of your United States Senator, then you call them up and say 'you know there could be an amendment on Tuesday, and we want to know if you're going to support us on this.' I can assure you this will make a difference, and I can get at least 6 more cosponsors."

Third class medical reform is one of the facets of the Pilots Bill of Rights 2. "I chair a committee in the Senate called the Environment and Public Works committee. Right now, the biggest biggest bill in five years is the Highway Reauthorization Bill ... that's my bill. We have an amendment that's going to come up on Tuesday or Wednesday that is going to have the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 as part of this bill."

Inhofe said in response to FAA Administrator Huerta's comments that there are "multiple stakeholders" who need to be heard on the issue of third class medical reform: "I know the Administrator's a nice guy and all that stuff, but if you wait around for the bureaucracy to reform themselves, it's not going to happen."

Inhofe did not fly his personal airplane to Oshkosh for AirVenture this year because of his need to get back to Washington on Monday, but the airplane is here. Inhofe said his son flew the RV-8 with the distinctive seal of the U.S. Senate on the fuselage to Wittman Regional Airport.

Of course, even if you're not at AirVenture ... you can still contact your Senator on behalf of the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2.

(Staff Image)

FMI: www.inhofe.senate.gov