Jim Inhofe: “this amendment is one that should not be controversial. I can recall as recently as the Oshkosh meeting this last August…”

“this amendment is one that should not be controversial. I can recall as recently as the Oshkosh meeting this last August where they voted--and we are talking about 250,000 people who were involved--to say this is the No. 1 issue for general aviation in America this entire year and perhaps for several years. It has to do with a process that is very similar to something we went through a few years ago. When the FAA exercises its power to invoke an emergency revocation of a license, they can do so for an indefinite period of time and that person will lose that license. In many cases, it may be this person's only way of making a living. We have worked for several years to come up with some type of a compromise that will allow an individual to recover his license in the event that it is shown there is nothing dangerous in the way that individual had been flying. It is very unfortunate that in any bureaucracy, there are a few people who will occasionally do something that is not justified. I share with you, Mr. President, a case of an individual named Ted Stewart who had been employed by American Airlines as a pilot for more than 12 years and presently serves as a Boeing 767 captain. No complaints had ever been registered against him or his flying. In January of 1995, the FAA suspended Mr. Stewart's examining authority. And the reason? Possibly improper issuing of ratings.”