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Dear John,
You’ve heard the saying, “Follow the money.”
Frequently the money trail tells us all we need to know about why lawmakers make the laws they do. Certainly it tells us a lot about what motivates formerly Democratic Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema.
Senator Sinema’s ties to the airline industry include $200,000 in contributions -- $54,000 in 2022 alone. Now when it comes to a choice between the commercial airlines and public safety, she’s firmly in the airlines’ cockpit -- er, pocket.
Yes, she is teaming up with Republican Senator John Thune and big money donors to relax the rules on airline pilot safety. The lack of specifics in the amendment could result in subpar training. Airline pilot safety is a matter of life and death to those who depend on the airlines to get them safely from one tarmac to the next. Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, who chairs the aviation safety subcommittee, warned supporters of Sinema’s amendment that they would have “blood on your hands.”
Keep pilot certification requirements robust and the skies safe. Tell the Senate to reject the Sinema-Thune amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill!
Facing massive retirements of more experienced pilots, the airlines are seeking to reduce their investments in training just at the very time that many more new pilots are entering the workforce.
If this amendment is allowed to move forward, the resulting impact on airline travel safety will endanger all air travelers. The airlines are one of the last corporate sectors we want to see cutting corners on safety. Yet the Sinema-Thune amendment will make possible just that.
Let your senators know: this is not acceptable. Reject the amendment and keep airline safety a legislative priority!
Thank you for doing your part to keep airline travel safe!
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
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