Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, introduced by T&I Committee Chair Graves, Aviation Subcommittee Chair Graves, Ranking Member Cohen, and myself.
I extend my thanks to the chairman of the full committee, Sam Graves of Missouri, and the Subcommittee Chair Garret Graves of Louisiana, for their commitment to a bipartisan effort done in good faith to get this bill done that protects the flying public and secures the future of the U.S. aviation system.
In my home State of Washington, the aviation sector is a powerful economic engine that creates good-paying jobs and supports local communities in the Pacific Northwest.
This bill delivers for my constituents as well as for all Americans across the country. It advances American leadership in aviation safety and innovation, strengthens and diversifies our aviation workforce, expands consumer protections and accessibility, and fosters environmental sustainability in aviation.
Although the U.S. aviation system is the safest in the world, the last few years have shown there is still work to do. The rise in runway near misses at some U.S. airports expose a vulnerability for the flying public. This reauthorization will help prevent these events by expanding ground surveillance and detection capabilities to all large and medium hub U.S. airports.
Further, unruly passengers continue to pose a threat to flight crews and other frontline workers. This bill better protects workers by creating a task force on preventing assaults against airline personnel and enforcing a requirement that airlines establish employee assault and response plans.
Recent flight cancellations and delays have shaken the confidence of passengers in the U.S. aviation system. To get us back on the right course, this reauthorization requires airlines to create resiliency plans to address mass flight disruptions. It also takes steps to make passengers whole by requiring airlines to develop policies to cover food and hotel expenses due to flight disruptions.
The bill also supports the administration's push for family seating by requiring airlines to establish policies allowing passengers to sit next to their young children if adjacent seats are available.
For too long, passengers with disabilities have experienced inexcusable barriers in air travel from challenges with boarding the aircraft and inaccessible onboard lavatories, to damaged and mishandled wheelchairs and mobility aids.
This bill paves the way for safer and more dignified air travel for this particular community by directing the DOT to create a roadmap for airlines to reduce damage to mobility aids and to improve training for airline personnel and contractors on assisting passengers with disabilities.
Climate change is a growing threat to millions of Americans and the infrastructure we rely on. This bill makes groundbreaking investments in sustainability, increasing Federal funding for the Airport Improvement Program from $3.35 billion to $4 billion and dedicating a minimum of $150 million to airport environmental and noise programs.
It also allows U.S. airports to use these funds for alternative fuel infrastructure and environmental resiliency projects and works to mitigate the impacts of aviation noise on local communities.
It directs the FAA to review and revise Federal aviation noise standards and to seek feedback from neighboring communities as well. Furthermore, the bill requires the FAA to take certain actions to reduce undesirable aircraft noise when implementing or revising a flight procedure. These actions build the foundation for a cleaner future for our aviation ecosystem.
To secure American leadership in aerospace innovation, we must provide a clear and predictable framework for emerging industries to scale safely while ensuring the needs of communities are addressed.
From drones to electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft, advanced aviation technologies have clear economic and societal benefits.
In Washington State, drones will soon be used to deliver critical medical supplies in the Tacoma area, helping to reduce barriers to care for patients. This reauthorization also requires the FAA to issue proposed rules for drones to safely scale in this country, providing regulatory certainty to a growing sector, ensuring their safe integration into our skies, and creating U.S. jobs.
It will also help State, local, and Tribal governments acquire drones for infrastructure inspection and repair to help workers do their jobs more safely. It also extends a program that I championed to fund State and community efforts to plan for a future with advanced air mobility operations and infrastructure.
Our talented and dedicated U.S. workforce is the backbone of American aviation and makes the Nation's leadership in aviation safety and innovation possible.
This reauthorization is a jobs bill. It helps build the economy from the middle out and bottom up and diversifies the aviation workforce, recognizing how critical that effort is to our Nation's long-term economic success.
It makes robust investments in the FAA's aviation workforce development program to upskill the next generation of pilots, maintenance technicians, manufacturing workers, and other critical professions.
This will help local businesses, like Aviation Technical Services in Everett, Washington, to expand their apprenticeship and training programs and compete in the rapidly evolving global aviation sector.
The bill also creates the Willa Brown Aviation Education Program and establishes a National Center for the Advancement of Aerospace to support and promote aviation workforce development opportunities for everyone.
Crucially, it requires the FAA to hire the maximum number of air traffic controllers, as well as to adopt the most appropriate controller staffing model to meet growing airspace needs.
I will spend my final bit of comments on the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. This bill also reaffirms and strengthens the U.S. Department of Transportation's DBE program. As we increase investment under this bill and dedicate Federal dollars to airport projects, it is imperative that we ensure the process of awarding Federal transportation contract dollars allows for full participation on a level playing field by minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
The committee has accumulated evidence attesting to systemic discrimination that women and minorities face in attempts to establish, grow, and operate construction businesses, including those seeking contracts for airport construction projects and airport concessions across the country.
This evidence includes testimony at a hearing titled: ``Driving Equity: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program'' held on September 23, 2020, since the passage of the last bill.
We have received and reviewed disparity studies, testimony, and other evidence, including statistical analyses containing numerous disparity studies conducted since 2018, the Department of Justice ``Report on Lawful Uses of Race or Sex in Federal Contracting Programs,'' and the DOT's own report on DBE goal attainment. These studies and reports continue to demonstrate that race- and gender-neutral efforts alone are insufficient to address the problem.
The evidence demonstrates that discrimination across the U.S. poses an injurious and enduring barrier to full and fair participation in airport-related businesses of women businessowners and minority businessowners and has negatively affected firm formation, development and success in many aspects of airport-related businesses in public and private markets.
The evidence provides a clear picture of the inequality caused by this discrimination that continues to plague our Nation and a strong basis that there is a compelling need for the continuation of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program to address race and gender discrimination in airport-related businesses.
Mr. Chair, I include in the Record 65 studies and reports spanning communities in 25 States showing significant disparity between the use of DBE and non-DBE subcontractors. The full text of each report is held on file electronically with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. [July 19, 2023]
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record evidence received by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on the compelling need for the continuation of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.
This statistical evidence includes 64 disparity studies conducted in 25 states since 2018, showing significant disparities between the use of DBE and non-DBE subcontractors in publicly financed, airport-related construction and concession contracting and in publicly financed, non-airport construction contracting that involves many of the same types of subcontracting opportunities available on airport projects.
The submission also includes reports prepared for and by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, including a report analyzing over 200 disparity studies produced by state and local government agencies between 2010 and 2021 and other evidence related to disparities faced by minority business enterprises in public and private contracting markets; and DOJ's 2022 survey of evidence documenting the compelling interest to remedy the effects of discrimination in government contracting.
This evidence demonstrates a strong basis that there is a compelling need for the continuation of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs to address race and gender discrimination in airport-related business.
The full text of each study and report is held on file electronically with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Alaska
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Study, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Final Report and Final Appendices, Prepared by MGT Consulting Group (2020). Arizona
Arizona Department of Transportation 2020 Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2020). California
2022 Caltrans FTA Disparity Study, California Department of Transportation, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2022).
Availability and Disparity Study Report 2021, California Department of Transportation, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2021).
North County Transit District 2022 Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research (2022).
2020 Disparity Study, City of San Diego, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2020). Colorado
2020 State of Colorado Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2020).
2018 Disparity Study, City and County of Denver, Final Report, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2018). Delaware
2022 Disparity Study, State of Delaware, Prepared by MGT Consulting (2022).
New Castle County, DE 2022 Public Works Procurement Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2022). Florida
City of St. Petersburg Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd. (2021).
2019 Disparity Study, City of Tallahassee, Leon County, and Blueprint, Prepared by MGT Consulting Group (2019). Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Transportation 2019 Availability and Disparity Study, Final Availability and Disparity Study Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research (2019). Illinois
City of Chicago Disparity Study for Construction Contracts 2021, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2021).
Chicago Transit Authority Disparity Study 2019, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019). Indiana
2019 Disparity Study, City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2019).
City of South Bend Disparity Study, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019).
2020 Disparity Study, State of Indiana Final Report, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2020). Kentucky
2022 Disparity Study, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Final Report, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2022).
Louisville & Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd. (2018). Louisiana
City of Alexandria LA Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2022).
City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2019).
2018 City of New Orleans Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2018).
Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2019). Maryland
City of Frederick Disparity Study Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2021).
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Disparity Study: Volume I and Volume II, Prepared for the Maryland Department of Transportation by NERA Economic Consulting (2018).
Baltimore County Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd (2021).
Charles County, MD 2021 Disparity Study, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2021).
City of Baltimore 2022 Disparity Study, Final Report and Appendices, Prepared by MGT Consulting Group (2022). Massachusetts
2020 Disparity Study, City of Boston, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2020). Missouri
Missouri Department of Transportation 2019 DBE Availability Study Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2019).
2019 City of Kansas City Construction Workforce Disparity Study, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2019). Montana
2022 Montana Department of Transportation Disparity Study, Final Report, BBC Research & Consulting (2022). New York
City of New York Disparity Study, Prepared by MGT Consulting Group (2018). North Carolina
2018 Disparity Study, City of Asheville, North Carolina, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2018).
Greensboro, North Carolina Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2018).
State of North Carolina, Department of Administration Disparity Study Report Volume 1 (State Agencies), Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2020).
State of North Carolina, Department of Administration Disparity Study Report Volume 2 (Community Colleges & Universities), Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2021). Ohio
City of Columbus Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd. (2019).
2022 Disparity Study, Hamilton County Final Report, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2022).
Cuyahoga County, Ohio Disparity Study Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2020). Oregon
Department of Aviation, Oregon Statewide DBE Disparity Study, Prepared by Keen Independent Research (2021).
The Port of Portland Small Business Program Disparity Study 2018, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2018).
Oregon Department of Transportation 2019 DBE Disparity Study Update, Final Report, Prepared by Keen Independent Research LLC (2019). Pennsylvania
Annual Disparity Study Fiscal Year 2019, Prepared by City of Philadelphia Office of Economic Opportunity (2019).
2018 Disparity Study, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2018).
Annual Disparity Study Fiscal Year 2018, Prepared by City of Philadelphia Office of Economic Opportunity (2018).
2018 Disparity Study, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of General Services, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2018). Rhode Island
Disparity Study, Final Report, State of Rhode Island, Prepared by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd. (2021). Tennessee
Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Disparity Study 2022, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2022).
Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2020)
City of Chattanooga, Tennessee 2019 Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2019).
Metro Nashville Tennessee Disparity Study Final Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2018) Texas
City of Austin Disparity Study Report 2022, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2022).
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Disparity Study 2019, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019).
City of Fort Worth, Texas Disparity Study, Prepared by CH Advisors Inc. (2020).
Texas Department of Transportation Disparity Study 2019, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019).
Availability and Disparity Study, City of Dallas, Texas, Prepared by MGT Consulting Group (2020). Virginia
2020 Disparity Study, Commonwealth of Virginia, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2020).
2018 Disparity Study, City of Virginia Beach, Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting (2018). Washington
Port of Seattle Disparity Study 2019, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019).
Washington State Airports Disparity Study 2019, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019).
City of Tacoma, Disparity Study, Final Report, Prepared by Griffin & Strong P.C. (2018).
State of Washington Disparity Study 2019, Prepared by Colette Holt & Associates (2019). Nationwide
The Compelling Interest to Remedy the Effects of Discrimination in Federal Contracting: A Survey of Recent Evidence, U.S. Department of Justice (2022). [See also FR Doc. 2022-01478]
Jon Wainwright, Report of Defendant's Expert, submitted in Ultima Services Corp. v. Dept. of Agriculture, Case No. 2:20- CV-00041.
Update to the Assessment of Contracting Outcomes for Small Disadvantaged Businesses, Prepared by the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce (2022).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act is a long-term, comprehensive, and bipartisan reauthorization that cements a safer, cleaner, greener, more innovative and accessible future for the U.S. aviation system.
I will end my opening comments by again thanking Chair Sam Graves and Subcommittee Chair Garret Graves for making sure that they are reaching out to the Democratic side of the aisle to ensure that we could have a bipartisan and collaborative bill put together. I thank Subcommittee Ranking Member Cohen for his leadership as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, and for all of the staff for their hard work, as well.
Particularly, I thank the minority staff of the Subcommittee on Aviation: staff director, Brian Bell; professional staff, Alex Menardy; counsel, Adam Weiss; and our FAA detailee, Liz Forro, for the hard work and the countless hours they have spent crafting this legislation with their majority counterparts.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Auchincloss).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle.)
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Sykes).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Scholten).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Sorensen).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from California.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding time. Let me first say that the administration enthusiastically supports the work of Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for the great work that they have done.
This is good for America. This is good for Houston, Texas, and it is good for Texas. I have two airports in the region, including Hobby International Airport and Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Ellington Field that see some commercial flights.
It is good that we will get between $3.35 billion and $4 billion to help in the airport funding program of which I saw about 40 to 80 million come to our Bush Intercontinental Airport in the last couple of weeks.
It is important to have the flexibility to deal with environmental issues, and, of course, it is extremely important to have a $45 million training program for a pipeline for pilots, aviation maintenance, and aviation manufacturing. Why? Because schools like Texas Southern University that uniquely has one of the only HBCUs training of pilots program will be able to do more and fill that pipeline with pilots.
In addition, we respond to the assaults that have been occurring against employees and crew, and respond by an employee assault prevention response plan, which is extremely important.
We did this during 9/11, but now we are looking at more secondary cockpit barriers that will be more important. As well, we want to make sure that we have a task force of air carriers.
This bill is for airlines and airports, but it is for the traveling public, as well. It deals with air law enforcement, aviation labor unions, and others to be able to work together.
I am excited about the Bessie Coleman Women in Aviation Advisory Committee to encourage more young women to become pilots, as we need more pilots every single day.
The matter that I worked on as a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, finally we set standards for foreign aircraft repair stations, so that when our American airlines are overseas, they are subject to the same standards of American repair stations. We were very concerned about that after 9/11.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me dwell on an amendment that I offered to get through the backlog of pilots that are now well after they have been off for some medical reason and the backlog of getting them back into the stream of flying is taking long. We need to look at that because these are perfectly able pilots, but they are still on medical leave.
I also want to ensure that we have mental health relief for our pilots, like 29-year-old Chris Daniel, who was doing well, but after the pandemic began experiencing depression. Chris' doctor suggested treatment for his depression, but as a pilot, he was too afraid to go.
Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in America Aviation Act of 2023.
The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act helps maintain America's gold standard in safety, fosters innovation, strengthens and diversifies the U.S. aviation workforce, and invests in resilient and sustainable infrastructure.
This is an important bill that I offered an amendment to help improve through the Rules Committee, the Jackson Lee Amendment.
While the Rules Committee did not make my amendment in order, it is important to highlight what it would have done and what is still needed to assist and strengthen aviation in our country.
In particular, the Jackson Lee Amendment would do the following:
Implement the creation of the Aviation Medical Innovation and Modernization Working Group and a report on recommendations from the Working Group on the evaluation of the conditions an Aviation Medical Examiner can issue. Improve and reform to the Special Issuance process, including whether, after initial medical certification by the FAA, renewals can be based on a medical evaluation and treatment plan by a pilot's treating medical specialist with concurrence from the pilot's Aviation Medical Examiner, in addition to other measures that will help ease the process and remove the backlog for when pilots return from medical leave.
It would pilot a mental health task group to develop and provide recommendations related to supporting the mental health of aircraft pilots.
Finally, my amendment requests a report that would provide recommendations for best practices in detecting, assessing, and reporting mental health conditions and treatment options as part of pilot aeromedical assessments.
The Jackson Lee Amendment would have strengthened this legislation by keeping the health and safety of airline pilots at the forefront.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, let's help our pilots be strong medically and mentally, and let's make this the best aviation system in the world.
Mr. Chair, I include in the Record an article from Scientific American. [From Scientific American, Nov. 22, 2022]
We Need To Change the System That Keeps Pilots From Seeking Mental Health Care (By William R. Hoffman)
By 29 years old, Chris Daniel felt he had it all: a wife, two beautiful children and fulfillment of his lifelong dream of becoming a U.S. airline captain. But in the spring of 2022, after years of flying, Chris knew something was not right. Shadows from his past were reemerging, strained by post-COVID travel demand and long, taxing weeks on the road. Years earlier, Chris's physician had suggested that his low mood and trouble sleeping might be symptoms of mild depression. But like many pilots, he balked at the idea. If a doctor diagnosed depression or if he sought help, Chris assumed he would never be able to fly again. Seeking help seemed unthinkable because losing flying was akin to losing everything; being a pilot was who he was.
Chris's story is not unusual. While mental health symptoms are common in airline pilots, getting help can affect their ability to work in a big way. Airline pilots are required to meet certain medical standards in order to maintain an active flying status, and disclosing a new symptom or condition to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) puts them at risk of losing, usually temporarily, their ability to work and fly. This is particularly true for mental health symptoms. The FAA bars pilots from the cockpit if they report seeking regular talk therapy for even mild anxiety or depression; this may last for months and sometimes even years based on the assumption they pose an unacceptable risk to safety. In fact, pilots find themselves among only a handful of professions that require disclosure of any encounter with the health care system, including mental health visits.
While it makes sense to ground a pilot in distress, the current system often fails to recognize the dynamic and often situational nature of mental health symptoms and often drives pilots from seeking care. Time off the job can have negative repercussions such as loss of pay and need for recurrent training, and the expenses of additional medical evaluations required by the FAA often fall onto the pilot. All of these together result in a population of pilots working the fleet who are suffering in silence and fearful to get the help they need. We must rethink the system that drives pilots from attending to their mental health and change what seeking mental health care services means in aviation.
Data my group and others have gathered are beginning to reveal the scope of this problem. Our findings demand attention. In our recent study of more than 3,500 U.S. pilots, 56 percent reported behavior that we classify as avoiding health care (for example, getting health care outside the traditional system to avoid its documentation) specifically because they feared the loss of their clearance to fly. Interestingly, 26 percent of pilots reported that they had withheld information during their FAA health checkups for the same reason: the fear of losing their medical clearance. This is sometimes called ``losing their wings.''
In a sister study, more than half of pilots in our sample had something they felt needed to get checked out--maybe it was mental health related, perhaps a knee injury, or even just a rash--but waited or decided against it because they worried about their career. While our studies focused on overall health care, we suspect this finding also applies to mental health.
Many pilots have reasonably good access to health care. This includes health insurance, paid time off and sometimes other union protections. Instead, these data suggest a barrier exists because pilots are asked to weigh the benefits of seeking help against the professional costs that they alone bear. How bad does mild anxiety need to become to warrant a prolonged absence from work? For most pilots, very bad.
The growing demand for pilots in our travel-hungry, COVID- endemic world is likely to make this problem more complicated. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects 18,100 new pilot jobs each year for the next decade, precipitated by the continued growth of air travel. As compensation has soared in 2022, more is being asked of pilots, including longer and more frequent trips to keep pace with passenger demand, This is in the context of other airline professions--such as maintenance and administrative staff--facing major personnel shortages, placing further strain on a system already operating at its limits. Higher demand on pilots can lead to additional time away from family and friends, leading to an even greater need for mental health care services. Simply put, pilots' need for mental health care is likely to only grow in the coming years.
While on the surface it might seem that increasing the pool of pilots would ease the situation, more pilots won't fix the existing challenges in the system. Flight training programs are expanding, and some airlines are taking the unprecedented step of establishing their own training programs. But, while class sizes are growing, they are being filled by a younger and more diverse generation of student pilots who may not be as willing as their predecessors to quietly suffer. In fact, emerging data suggest the willingness of current pilots (who are still largely in the 40-to-60 age range) to avoid health care for job security may not be as true for the next generation.
``Younger pilots are different from past generations and are more willing to identify as needing help when it comes to their mental health,'' John Dulski, 21, an aviation student at the University of North Dakota and advocate for aviation mental health reform, told me during a recent phone call. ``Many are more willing to choose to get care at the risk of stepping away from flying.'' The answers to why such a phenomenon is occurring remains an open question that our research group is trying to understand. Could it be related to social media lowering the stigma of mental health or the influences of growing up through the pandemic? We hope future research will reveal the answer.
A new generation of Gen Z airline pilots more open to stepping away from flying to seek mental health care services may only further strain the shortage of pilots. But more importantly, it should call for industry to rethink what it means for an airline pilot to be mentally fit and what services they should be able to receive while still working the fleet. We can all agree that safety in aviation should be the foundation for meaningful change. Certainly, a pilot with a severe mental health condition shouldn't be flying. But the opportunity lies for pilots with mild symptoms. These are high performing professionals who are perhaps facing one of life's usual stressors--a divorce, a family death or even just the chronic stress of the job. How might we rethink a system that enables this group to seek mental health care services in hopes of sidestepping a diagnosis that could go on to fully pull them from flying?
One answer is clear. The FAA should change policy to permit pilots with mild symptoms to seek professional regular, and if needed prolonged, talk therapy without loss of their medical certification. Such a change would have major benefits for people on both sides of the flight deck door, including treatment to prevent symptom worsening, and regular pilot assessment by a professional mental health provider. Recognizing that mental health is on a dynamic spectrum and that many pilots could benefit from talking to a professional mental health provider at some point in their career has the potential to keep pilots flying healthy while also increasing safety in the system. Pilot unions and airlines should fuel this movement by raising awareness about the problem their pilots face and by lobbying for an alliance of stakeholder to determine how best to safely enact this change. While credit is due to the FAA for recently making several positive policy changes related to mental health, there is still work to do and time is of the essence.
Chris Daniel never did get help for his mental health symptoms, and despite an excellent flying record, he died of suicide in June 2022. While we believe suicide is relatively rare among pilots, this extreme outcome is in part why we must create positive change. With the use of appropriate supervision and reevaluation, aviation's safety culture should shift to thinking of mental health care services as a marker for wellness and prevention instead of risk and disease. This change would not only benefit pilots, but also the 2 million U.S. passengers who trust the aviation system every day. IF YOU NEED HELP
If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or use the online Lifeline Chat.
The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of Brooke Army Medical Center, the Department of Defense or any agencies under the U.S. government.
This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Chair, I will conclude by saying that we encourage Members to support this. This is a bipartisan bill negotiated in good faith. It is a very substantial bill, and I think it is a product that we can certainly be proud of to move forward on.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, although I am not opposed.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, this amendment reflects bipartisan agreement on a variety of technical fixes and good policy worthy of inclusion in this bill.
It includes language from Representative Schrier of Washington State to focus FAA's aviation workforce development efforts on transitioning veterans to the civilian workforce, an amendment that the committee worked together on with Representative Gooden to make happen.
It requires the FAA to develop a process to restrict drones from flying over large outdoor gatherings. It clears unnecessary red tape for the FAA to issue airport improvement grants and ensures our air traffic controllers are consulted on major policy changes, protects information or data reported by pilots or engineers through voluntary safety reporting requirements, and includes language from Representative Stanton of Arizona to require the Secretary of Transportation to propose a rulemaking to improve seating accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
Finally, it expands FAA's counter-UAS testing authorities to consider the impacts to the safety of the National Airspace System beyond the airport environment.
Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to vote in favor of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this en bloc.
It includes a number of provisions that will improve the bill overall, including:
A proposal from Representative Brown of Ohio to ensure passengers on air carriers and foreign air carriers have the right to free drinking water on any flight longer than an hour;
A proposal from Representatives Carbajal, Yakym, and Davids directing the FAA to test the use of mobile technologies to deliver air traffic control clearances to general aviation pilots and part 135 operators;
A proposal from Representatives Ciscomani and Stanton to prioritize air traffic control staffing at towers with strategic traffic and safety considerations;
A proposal from Representative DelBene to expand the FAA's Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment to conduct research on hydrogen, supporting increasing efforts to decarbonize the aviation sector;
A proposal from Representative DeSaulnier to create a task force on human factors safety to harmonize disparate human factors work being done currently across the aviation community;
A proposal from Representative Donalds encouraging the FAA to embrace the use of drones for helping workers to conduct safer, more efficient infrastructure inspections; and
A proposal from Representative Eshoo to ensure community voices are heard on aircraft noise issues.
Mr. Chair, I support this en bloc, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I have no other speakers on the en bloc, so I will close by asking Members to please support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this en bloc. It includes several provisions that will improve the bill overall, including amendments from Representatives Lee, Hoyle, Gottheimer, Lynch, and others.
I support this en bloc and encourage my colleagues to do the same. I have no other speakers on amendments en bloc No. 2, so I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this en bloc. It includes several amendments that strengthen the bill, including:
A proposal from Representative Magaziner to ensure AIP funding can be used for cybersecurity projects;
An amendment from Representatives Meng, Norton, Johnson, Nadler, and Raskin to ensure overflight community feedback is considered as the FAA updates its aircraft noise policies;
A proposal from Representative Neguse of Colorado to ensure the FAA directly interviews residents from communities impacted by aircraft noise as part of its community engagement efforts;
Several proposals from Representative Pettersen of Colorado to address community noise concerns, in-flight emergency medical kits, and pilot mental health;
A bipartisan proposal from Representatives Porter and Westerman to audit and improve the FAA's responsiveness to congressional requests--I just can't imagine who couldn't support that; and
A proposal from Representative Pressley to study transit access to airports.
Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support en bloc No. 3, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, this amendment would create an apprenticeship program for individuals seeking to become commercial pilots.
I do want to say I am very pleased to be able to support many of Representative Donalds' amendments to the bill, working in a bipartisan manner.
This one I just couldn't come to a place where I am comfortable, but certainly as a long-time supporter of aviation and STEM-related apprenticeships, I do appreciate the intent of Representative Donalds' amendment. However, it is duplicative of several provisions in the underlying bill that already bolster the pilot pipeline.
This authorization already triples the funding for FAA's Aviation Workforce Development Grant programs, which funds aviation apprenticeship programs. It creates the Willa Brown Aviation Education Program, which could fund apprenticeship programs focused on underrepresented communities and creates a National Center for the Advancement of Aerospace, an independently, federally chartered nonprofit entity to administer grants to establish apprenticeships for aviation careers and serve as a centralized resource to provide comprehensive information on aviation apprenticeship opportunities.
I earlier adopted an amendment in the en bloc amendment that was sponsored by Representatives Schrier and Gooden to help veterans transition into the commercial pilot world. Apprenticeships are already well covered in this underlying bill.
Mr. Chair, I oppose the gentleman's amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment because it would create an exemption for nonhub airports from the requirement to have at least one individual who maintains certification as an emergency medical technician, or EMT, during carrier operations.
This amendment poses a safety risk that would be detrimental to passengers. Unlike what the proponent said about the Federal Government imposing an employment requirement on an airport, this is actually a single safety standard that applies to all airports, that there be a certified emergency technician to respond to emergencies at all airports.
It is, indeed, a national standard, but one done for safety, especially in support of passenger carrying air carrier operations.
In the event of a medical emergency that occurs at the airport or on a flight, passengers and airport workers should receive care as quickly as possible regardless of where they are flying to. Having an EMT available at the airport could mean the difference between life and death in the event of an emergency.
All passengers should be reassured that even if they are traveling out of or through a nonhub airport, they have the same safety precautions at that airport as they do at all airports in the United States.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, as a Member of Congress who represents several small rural airports, including ones that are isolated on islands, I appreciate the argument that the gentleman from Iowa has been making. Yet, given the fact that I have a district with some of the same circumstances, even airports that are isolated on islands, I still believe that there needs to be EMTs available in the event of emergencies at these nonhub airports. I want one safety standard for the country, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, though I am not opposed to the amendment.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, the FAA recently issued a final rule on requiring secondary barriers to protect the flight deck in newly manufactured aircraft. The underlying text of this bill creates a rulemaking committee to consider how to apply this requirement to existing aircraft, and this amendment adds a rulemaking requirement to that text.
Secondary barriers are a critical tool to keeping our pilots and flight decks safe and secure in the event of a horrible, horrible intrusion.
Mr. Chair, therefore, I rise to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, this amendment requires the FAA to consider the economic viability of commercial air tours over national parks.
In 2022, the National Park Service recorded 312 million recreational visits to our national parks. This number reflects the overwhelming significance our parks have to the American public. They serve as a place of recreation, a place used to teach new generations about conservation and wildlife, and a place to admire the beauty of our great outdoors in the U.S.
National park air tour management plans are in place to help protect the sanctity of our parks from incessant helicopter overflights, which can disrupt both the wildlife and the natural beauty of the parks visitors enjoy.
Mr. Chair, I urge everyone to protect our parks from the noise and disturbance of increased helicopter tours by voting ``no'' on this amendment.
This amendment would require air tour management plans to consider profits in the development of those plans, which would undoubtedly increase the number of helicopters flying above our parks. This runs contrary to the original purpose of these management plans, which is to protect the integrity of the parks.
Helicopter tours are an incredible way to see national parks for the privileged few, but they simultaneously degrade the park experience for the vast majority of other park visitors.
Our national parks were created as a public good, to preserve our natural wonders for all Americans to enjoy. We must not erode that in favor of tour profits and those who can afford to pay.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, before I yield to my good friend, Representative Case from Hawaii, I would note that he is a great American, and I do think that the debates here on the floor of the House are a reflection of being great Americans as opposed to being un-American.
Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case).
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, there has been a good debate on this bill. Clearly, there is a difference of opinion, and clearly, there are experiences where helicopters and helicopter tours do disrupt the wildlife, other visitors, and the people around national parks.
Mr. Chair, I ask all the Americans in this body to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, this amendment would require the DOT inspector general to investigate the FAA's decision to increase the electrocardiogram, or EKG, range that is permissible for pilots.
This amendment follows a change made by the agency last October to increase the allowable range of an EKG result from 200 to 300 milliseconds without requiring further documentation from the pilot.
The FAA's change in the allowable EKG result range was based on scientific data from cardiovascular experts documented in the public domain. Such data shows that an EKG result under 300 milliseconds indicates that the pilot has no real risk of sudden heart failure if there are no other medical issues.
Medical standards and recommendations have always evolved over time as medicine becomes more advanced and health professionals learn new information. The FAA should take advantage of the latest guidance from medical experts to ensure these guidelines for pilots are as safe as possible.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, in closing, I will say that the FAA's action, despite some claims, was not taken in response to any change in pilot medical conditions or heart health due to having received the COVID vaccine. That has been a claim in less scientific circles. This decision was made based on science, using the experts, using science, and using data.
Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to the amendment.
The Acting Chair. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, this amendment would direct the FAA Administrator to require air carriers, airlines and others, to reinstate pilots that may have lost their jobs because of noncompliance with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The FAA cannot direct air carriers on hiring decisions like this. It cannot require air carriers to hire specific individuals. This amendment simply is not implementable.
Is that where we are going with this bill, to let the FAA make hiring and firing decisions for these private aviation companies?
Furthermore, this amendment revives an unnecessary debate on COVID-19 vaccine mandates, one that we had 3 years ago. This is an unwelcome distraction from this very substantive reauthorization discussion on this bill that will enhance safety and the aviation workforce.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, the FAA does not really have a role to play in telling air carriers to hire the folks back. It is not an amendment that is implementable. I am a little flummoxed by it myself. However, I encourage my colleagues to vote against this amendment.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I am happy this amendment is coming up because I hope the gentleman from Michigan will vote against a further amendment that may come up later tonight that will get rid of this program altogether, this vertiport infrastructure grant program.
Mr. Chair, I am glad he likes it enough to add to it, and I hope others feel that way, too, so we can protect the basis of this program. I know all about it because I wrote the bill to actually create this program in the first place. It was done with a very specific purpose in mind, and the gentleman noted the criteria involved--to help State, local, and Tribal governments be part of the advanced air mobility future. We were very clear about that.
Another thing we were very clear about when we wrote that bill and got it into law was to ensure that it was as neutral as possible when it came to any number of the advanced air mobility companies that were seeking to develop and get certified by the FAA and operate within the United States.
Prioritizing the grants awarded under the AAM infrastructure program to entities that collaborate with the Department of Defense or the National Guard would actually put a thumb on the scale for the three companies that are actually involved with this effort with the DOD.
There are many other AAM companies that are not involved with the DOD, and this would put these companies sort of at a head start over these others.
Since its inception in 2019, as a for instance, the U.S. Air Force's Agility Prime program has focused on the potential defense applications of eVTOL aircraft, or electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and what we call on the commercial side of things, AAM.
Through Agility Prime, the DOD partners with these industry leaders and key stakeholders to examine the airworthiness and military uses for AAM aircraft and necessary infrastructure to support strategic cargo and personnel transport. In fact, that program within the DOD has awarded over 20 contracts, totaling more than $100 million, to very innovative aviation companies to further develop their advanced aircraft as they work toward civil certifications and commercial operations, but doing that with the help of the Department of Defense.
Mr. Chair, I support fostering this U.S. innovation, but this amendment would prioritize the funding through the AAM Infrastructure Pilot program, which funds State and local government planning efforts for future civil AAM infrastructure and operations, to efforts that are being addressed under Agility Prime.
There is a place to do this. It is called DOD's military construction budget. We just passed an authorization of nearly $886 billion last week out of the House of Representatives. Surely, there are a few dollars in that budget for the DOD to use to improve the taxiways and the aprons at these joint sites that the National Guard and the Air Force use with civilian airports rather than go after the really fairly small amounts that are available in these transportation planning grants that we were able to get through the AAM infrastructure planning grant.
I would just tell folks there is a place for these companies to go. It should not be these planning grants. It should be the DOD construction budget.
Besides, if we do that, it will give these particular companies a head start over many other companies, and, frankly, in fact, the cities and counties [that are trying to access these grants already.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, is it my time or his time he is going to use?
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, to close, I assure the gentleman that, first, I am 100 percent sure that his amendment will dilute the original grant program. I am 100 percent sure there are other ways to finance this, especially through a very large MilCon budget that passed as part of the defense bill. And I am 100 percent sure that I am correct in opposing this amendment having been the author of the original bill to establish the AAM Infrastructure Act.
Mr. Chair, I ask Members to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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