Pilot's Bill of Rights 2

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Certainly, I will yield.

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Then I will be happy to yield at this point.

I have sought to improve this bill. I have had strong concerns about a number of its provisions. I want to thank him and thank Senator Thune, Senator Nelson, and Senator Manchin, as well as Senator Feinstein and Senator Reed, for the improvements they have made to the bill. But I feel, with all due respect, that problems remain.

We have an effective medical certification system now which, unfortunately, this bill undermines, in my view. This bill replaces it with an untested framework, making it easier for people with dangerous medical conditions to fly. There is really no medical certificate effective to deal with potential medical problems. I am gravely concerned that this bill may lead to an increase in the number of aviation accidents.

My hope is--since it has 69 cosponsors, and the will of the Senate now is apparently to move forward--that we can perhaps improve it in the course of the FAA reauthorization. I hope some of these issues can be addressed in that process. I hope my colleague Senator Inhofe will work with me to keep the policy proposals outlined in this bill in mind as we go forward with the FAA reauthorization bill--and that is scheduled to be sometime next year--so that further improvements can be given due consideration.

Again, I thank the Senator from Oklahoma for his hard work on this bill, and I withdraw my objection.

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