| Probably one of the most contentious
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| | the adjournment of the 109th Congress.
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| issues of recent times in the aviation
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| | Whilst, both bills died a standalone
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| community is the proposed changes to the
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| | death, they received a much needed boost
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| age 60 rule. As most of the readers will
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| | by their incorporation as amendments into
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| be aware, age 60 is a mandatory
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| | the Transportations Appropriations Bill,
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| retirement age for pilots involved in the
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| | HR 5576. Generally, these money bills are
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| part 121 airline environment.
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| | voted and passed in the house before
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| Representations and pressure groups from
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| | moving into the second phase of review in
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| both ends of the age spectrum have
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| | the Senate. While in review in Senate Sub
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| recently been engaged in open warfare to
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| | Committee the S 65 changes where added to
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| influence the change in legislation to
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| | the appropriations bill.
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| their specific sides benefit.
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| | However, due to the election the money
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| In early 2005, the republican senator for
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| | bill was never voted upon and therefore
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| Nevada introduced a bill, HR 65, which
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| | ceased when the 109th congress adjourned
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| dealt with altering the retirement age
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| | in December 2006. Rather than pass these
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| for airline pilots from 60 to 65, so as
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| | appropriations bills congress choose to
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| to be inline with ICAO rules. The
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| | pass a continuing resolution which
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| resolution was then referred to the House
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| | allowed the federal government to fund
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| Committee on Transportation and
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| | their agencies until Feb 15th, 2007.
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| infrastructure which was chaired by Rep.
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| | So as it stands, the amendments remain
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| Don Young. Subsequently HR 65 was then
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| | within the appropriations bill and must
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| referred to the Sub Committee on Aviation
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| | be addressed by the 110th Congress
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| which falls under the jurisdiction of the
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| | whether individually or rolled up into a
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| Transportation committee. There was
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| | single bill called an omnibus bill. As
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| indeed no hearings ever conducted on HR
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| | the balance of power in Congress has
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| 65 nor were any recommendations tendered
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| | changed its unlikely that the Democrat
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| to the House Committee on Transportation.
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| | led Senate would choose to keep any
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| Thats basically where the resolution
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| | controversial amendments in the
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| remained all through 2006 until the 109th
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| | appropriations bill lest it cause the
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| Congress adjourned in December.
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| | delay of federal funding for their
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| Further to the above, a bill entitled S
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| | agencies. Having said that, there is
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| 65 was sponsored in the Senate which was
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| | tremendous pressure from both sides of
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| then referred to the relevant committee
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| | the age divide to influence the
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| for consideration. On the 19th July 2005,
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| | proceedings.
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| the committee met and convened a hearing
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| | It's difficult to argue with the plight
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| to consider the issue. Representations
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| | of the lower end of the seniority list,
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| from many pressure groups such as, FAA,
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| | having been restricted from the usual
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| Aerospace Medical Association, Airline
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| | career progression by a number of factors
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| Pilots Association, SWAPA, Allied Pilots
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| | including 911 and the vicious airline
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| Association, and Jetblue Airways
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| | bankruptcies. Any change to the age 60
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| Corporation were heard and evaluated by
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| | rule would surely delay their captain
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| the committee members. On the 17th of
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| | upgrades by at least 5 years and cost
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| November the committee ruled and
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| | untold thousands in lost career earnings.
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| acquiesced to support the change to
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| | The alternative side of the argument is
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| mirror the ICAO regulations. Following
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| | that age 60 is discriminatory and that
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| the above procedure, the bill was
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| | pilots may very well be medically capable
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| released from committee and placed upon
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| | of pursuing the left seat until age 65.
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| the Senate Legislative Calendar.
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| | Irrespective of your viewpoint, it is
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| This is the point that many bills perish
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| | imperative that ALPA brings all pilots,
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| before even making it to the floor as the
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| | regardless of seniority, together on this
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| responsibility lays with the Senate
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| | issue. As surely a hotbed issue such as
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| Majority leader to determine which bills
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| | this will only be detrimental to any
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| are addressed by the that session of the
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| | alliance that currently exists between
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| Senate. The Senate Majority Leader,
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| | the different pilot groups and airline
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| Senator Frist never determined a date for
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| | management most definitely does not
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| the hearing of the bill and that is where
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| | require another issue to play wedge
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| the bill remained until perishing with
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| | politics with.
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