Pilots Rights And Third Class Medical Reform Takes Another Positive Step Towards Becoming A Reality

EAA has informed us that on November 18, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee will be holding a markup session in which Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 (PBOR2) will be considered for movement to the Senate floor. This is a landmark step in the legislative process and the result of months of hard work by legislators, their staffs, and the general aviation community.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who introduced PBOR2, has spent countless hours on Capitol Hill convincing his colleagues to support this legislation. If passed, the bill will bring relief to thousands of pilots who are required to go through an arduous medical certification and special issuance process. With 69 co-sponsors in the Senate, PBOR2 has gained significant bipartisan support. That support was also won because of the thousands of EAA members and others who contacted their senators and urged them to back this measure.

It’s important to remember that major parts of PBOR2 are dedicated to improving conditions for all pilots as it relates to regulations and enforcement actions. As recreational pilots, we tend to focus more on the third class medical aspect of the bill, but there’s much more to it than that.

A “markup” is a process that allows bills to be considered, debated, and amended on the committee level. Once the bill is approved at the committee level, the door is opened for it to go up for a vote before the full Senate and sent to the House for passage.

FMI: www.eaa.org