The US Senate Thursday joined the House when several senators introduced legislation that would require the Federal Aviation Administration to follow a rule-making procedure before it adopts a controversial new standard concerning sleep apnea and pilots.
The legislation was introduced by Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) members Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and co-sponsored by Sens Mark Begich (D-AK) and Mike Johanns (R-NE). Begich and Johanns co-chair the Senate General Aviation Caucus and both Manchin and Inhofe are caucus members.
The language in the Senate bill, S 1941, mirrors that of HR 3578, introduced in November by House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA). That bill passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on December 4, 2013, positioning it for a vote by the full House.
Rulemaking typically provides a period for public comment on a proposed regulation and can require an agency like the FAA to estimate the cost of the new law.
