http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/February/26/Medical-reform-legislation-introduced-in-House-and-Senate?WT.mc_id=150227epilot&WT.mc_sect=tts#ooid=NucnBtczr0qhj9dNoRG13sD2FtiCxh3i

MAYBE!!??

I like it! I esp like the part where the bill says (if passed) it becomes law in 180 days whether the FAA drags their feet or not. But it's gotta get through committee, get passed by both the house & the senate, and then get signed into law by our beloved president. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I'd say it's a long shot.
Remember last years attempt never even got to the point of calling for a vote-- don't know if it "died in committee" but I do know that it died.

hotrod180 wrote:I like it! I esp like the part where the bill says (if passed) it becomes law in 180 days whether the FAA drags their feet or not. But it's gotta get through committee, get passed by both the house & the senate, and then get signed into law by our beloved president. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I'd say it's a long shot.
Remember last years attempt never even got to the point of calling for a vote-- don't know if it "died in committee" but I do know that it died.

I expressed the same reservations on another forum and got kinda shouted down. Dreamers. This administration vetoed a bi-partisan bill this last week because it imposed the will of congress on the prerogatives of an administrative agency. Unless there is a supermajority in both houses, this is a snowball in hell. Having said that, I think there might be more support in Congress for this bill than the one last week. Maybe. So....finger crossing is of limited value, write some letters, put them in stamped envelopes, and send them to your august member of congress. Then take a deep breath......and repeat as needed.

What're the HB & SB numbers, and the official name of the bill(s)? Need that for writing my sens & rep.

hotrod180 wrote:What're the HB & SB numbers, and the official name of the bill(s)? Need that for writing my sens & rep.

In addition to third class medical reform, the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2, which was introduced in the House (H.R. 1062) and the Senate (S.571) late on Feb. 25, would protect GA pilots from liability on charitable flights, extend legal protections to FAA representatives, and require FAA contractors to provide information under Freedom of Information Act requests.

Great now get it done

M6RV6 wrote:

hotrod180 wrote:What're the HB & SB numbers, and the official name of the bill(s)? Need that for writing my sens & rep.

In addition to third class medical reform, the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2, which was introduced in the House (H.R. 1062) and the Senate (S.571) late on Feb. 25, would protect GA pilots from liability on charitable flights, extend legal protections to FAA representatives, and require FAA contractors to provide information under Freedom of Information Act requests.

Thanks, letters going out Monday.

Keep sending the form letters and emails. This is all good.

IMO, if we all just take an extra minute to call thier offices, this will go a much further. A thousand form letters is one thing, but a couple hundred phone calls is much more potent.

http://www.contactingthecongress.org

You can find all of their phone and fax numbers here.

Just banged out emails to my 2 senators & my congressman.
Don't know about your state, but here in Washington the only way to email them is via their website. This means instead of typing one email, and sending it to each of them, you have to type out your message three different times. Sure makes it more of a chore to let them know how you feel, but I'm sure that was not intentional

hotrod180 wrote:Just banged out emails to my 2 senators & my congressman.
Don't know about your state, but here in Washington the only way to email them is via their website. This means instead of typing one email, and sending it to each of them, you have to type out your message three different times. Sure makes it more of a chore to let them know how you feel, but I'm sure that was not intentional

Couldn't you just copy and paste, then change the name? Seems like that would be a lot easier than typing the whole thing out 3 times.

I suppose I could, but I'm not a big computer guy. Easier on my head to just type it out three times. My point is that it almost seems they try to make it non-user friendly.
The result is that my message was short & sweet: bill name & number, description( "addresses much - needed reform of the FAA 3rd class medical which is required for thousands & thouands of non-commercial private pilots"), and a request for his/her support for "this important piece of legislation".

***Updated with new co-sponsors, keep the letters coming!***

I just wanted to point out that there are TWO bills in each chamber dealing with this issue. They are the Pilots Bill of Rights 2 (HR 1062 and S 571) and the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act (HR 1086 and S 573)

All of these are currently in committee, and will need to make it out of there before the rest of congress can vote. Here is the status of each and the members of the committees where they reside. If your representative/senator is on one of these committees, it would be especially beneficial to send a letter of support to ensure it gets to a vote. Here are links to Committee Membership:
House Judiciary - http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/committee-members
House Transportation and Infrastructure - http://transportation.house.gov/about/membership.htm
House Subcommittee on Aviation - http://transportation.house.gov/subcommittees/subcommittee/?ID=107417
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation - http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=CommitteeMembers

HR 1062 – House Pilot Bill of Rights 2
Sponsors –
Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]
Rep. Lipinski, Daniel [D-IL-3]
Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7]
Rep. Rokita, Todd [R-IN-4]
Rep. Hanna, Richard L. [R-NY-22]
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Rep. Farenthold, Blake [R-TX-27]
Rep. Abraham, Ralph Lee [R-LA-5]
Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2]
Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3] 03/03/2015
Rep. Pompeo, Mike [R-KS-4] 03/03/2015
Rep. Huelskamp, Tim [R-KS-1] 03/03/2015
Rep. Carson, Andre [D-IN-7] 03/04/2015
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16] 03/04/2015
Rep. Ribble, Reid J. [R-WI-8] 03/04/2015
Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17] 03/04/2015
Committee – Judiciary; Transportation and Infrastructure. Refered to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

S 571 – Senate Pilot Bill of Rights 2
Sponsors –
Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND]
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] 03/02/2015
Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] 03/11/2015
Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD] 03/11/2015
Committee – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

HR 1086 – House General Aviation Pilot Protection Act
Sponsors –
Rep. Rokita, Todd [R-IN-4]
Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]
Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2]
Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7]
Rep. Lipinski, Daniel [D-IL-3]
Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17]
Rep. Hanna, Richard L. [R-NY-22]
Rep. Pompeo, Mike [R-KS-4]
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Rep. Abraham, Ralph Lee [R-LA-5]
Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-At Large]
Rep. Duncan, John J., Jr. [R-TN-2]
Rep. Heck, Joseph J. [R-NV-3] 03/02/2015
Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-32] 03/02/2015
Committee –Transportation and Infrastructure

S 573 – Senate General Aviation Pilot Protection Act
Sponsors –
Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Sen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN]
Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH]
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Committee – Commerce, Science and Transportation

Prosaria wrote: I just wanted to point out that there are TWO bills in each chamber dealing with this issue. They are the Pilots Bill of Rights 2 (HR 1062 and S 571) and the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act (HR 1086 and S 573). ............

What are the differences between the two bills?

No idea. The text has not been published. You can't read it until it gets passed, I think that's how it works. I know the second one is the resurrection of the bill that expired in committee last year.

***Update***

The text has been published. Discussion at the top of page 2.

AOPA has sent out a message. Contact your congressman/Senator now to have them support these bipartisan bills!

Here is a super simple way to show your support. Come on BCP'rs, let's get this done. Keep this thread and link alive until every one of us has done this.

http://govt.eaa.org/17422/support-pilots-bill-rights-2/?m=5886794

Done. In addition to the short-but-sweet emails I already sent to my 3 legislators.
I really like this sort of deal-- whoever writes these letters is so much more articulate than me, so a much better argument is presented than I could do on my own. Thanks EAA! And thanks Barnstormer for posting the link.

Prosaria wrote:No idea. The text has not been published. You can't read it until it gets passed, I think that's how it works. I know the second one is the resurrection of the bill that expired in committee last year.

(emphasis added)

Madness - can you believe we elect people that do business this way?

c170pete wrote:

Prosaria wrote:No idea. The text has not been published. You can't read it until it gets passed, I think that's how it works. I know the second one is the resurrection of the bill that expired in committee last year.

(emphasis added)

Madness - can you believe we elect people that do business this way?

That was a prod at a certain legislator that is not important. The bills were just introduced on Thursday. I think they just haven't had time to put the text on the webpage yet.

Everyone also assist your friends, relatives, and anyone else to contact their congressmen, make it easy for them. Here is the easy link again for simplicity:

http://govt.eaa.org/17422/support-pi...s-2/?m=5886794

I'm sending personal letters such as:

Congressman Nolan,
I'm writing to ask you to cosponsor HR 1062, Pilots Bill of Rights 2, that is before your Aviation subcommittee.

Surely as shown in your February Monday Report, (yes, I subscribe) you have an appreciation for the role aviation can play in the common man's life. HR 1062 will right injustices to those who are not so well off to spend thousands for unnecessary government regulation for recreational flying.

Many pilots are afraid to visit doctors for routine or early testing of things that come up for fear of getting caught up in costly, stressful, extra testing that the FAA requires so that they may continue their passion of recreational transportation. It is unfair and depresses the aviation economy.

Thank you!