So the senate subcommittee has officially submitted a proposal that would relax the type of training needed for waving the 1500 hr requirement and it will now go before the full senate. John Thune (R-SD) is the head of this sub committee. I have emailed all of my state senators and congressmen AND senator Thune. (By the way, most of these guys require you to verify your address is within their district before you can email them... just put down their office address as your address and that'll allow you to contact them.). For those guys out there that are against the 1500 hr rule or don't have an opinion.... I don't think any of us agree that the 1500 rule is the most effective way to make airlines safer. However, it has indirectly begun to solve the problem of the regional airlines taking advantage of pilots in return for the hope that they will make it to a major airline one day (and pilots bare part of the blame for this too.). If there was another solution to this problem of low pay and QOL, then I would say go ahead, amend the 1500 hr rule (although I don't agree w hiring 250hr guys again). If the senate said " We came up with the perfect pilot training plan that will make the supply of awesomely trained pilots abundant and we're also requiring the regional airlines to set starting pay at $50K/yr"... I'm all for it. But that won't ever happen. Regional airlines shrinking and major airlines growing is a good thing for us pilots. If the Regional Airline Association gets their foot in the door here, there will be more changes later. It may not make any difference if you write your representatives, but it couldn't hurt.