Hoeven’s bipartisan bill funds commercial flight training for U.S. veterans

U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) last week introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a federally funded commercial pilot flight-training program for U.S. military veterans.

Sen. Hoeven on Oct. 17 cosponsored the American Aviator Act, S. 2623, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to authorize grants for the FAA to expand flight training services for veterans seeking commercial airline pilot positions.

“The American Aviator Act is all about providing a great career opportunity to our veterans while also addressing the nation’s pilot shortage,” Sen. Hoeven said.

Under S. 2623, flight-training schools like the University of North Dakota (UND), which have established employment pathways with commercial air carriers, would be eligible for federal grants to recruit and enroll veterans for flight training, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Hoeven’s office.

If enacted, S. 2623 would authorize grant funding for the provision of guidance and flight-training services and would cover associated costs not included under the GI Bill, according to the summary.

“Considering our state is also home to a world-class flight training school at UND, it only makes sense to create an affordable pathway for our veterans to train as commercial airline pilots,” said Sen. Hoeven. “Our legislation would create a program under the FAA to do just that.”

Sen. Baldwin added that there’s “a real need for qualified pilots and if we make the training more available to veterans, we can provide them with a good-paying job.”

The bill is supported by the Air Line Pilots Association and the Regional Airline Association.