Tonight's MEC email
 

For the first time in my life I have given to a Democrat, and by the looks of things it won't be the last. We are all royally prison raped if this bill passes. For those who may have missed the blastmail, here you go.



http://images.magnetmail.net/images/.../MECBanner.pngFebruary 27, 2018

Help Stop the Push to Relax Foreign Ownership Limits and Change CRAF Rules


Rep Dave Brat (R-VA) Attacks U.S. Aviation Jobs

In a move that threatens the long-term career viability of all U.S. pilots, last week a bill was introduced in Congress by Representative Dave Brat, (R, VA-07) which would greatly expand the ability of non-U.S. interests to exert control over our aviation sector. Congress.gov has posted the complete text of the bill, H.R. 5000 - Free to Fly Act. The ironically named "Free to Fly Act" would:

• Significantly relax current protective limits on foreign ownership and foreign control of U.S. carriers

• Allow a U.S. "citizen or other person" to apply for an air carrier certificate, unlike the current language requiring the certificate be held by "a citizen of the United States"

• Allow a waiver of the U.S. citizenship requirement for air carriers or aircraft involved in CRAF flying

There is significant power lining up behind this bill, and both the U.S. Travel Association and the Business Travel Coalition – outspoken supporters and lobbyists for the ME3 carriers - have come out and publicly endorsed this legislation. These are lobbyist for the same foreign companies and countries who have been steadily seeking inroads to the U.S. market with low-cost labor that will undermine our jobs.

There is a "Pro-Pilot Partisan" Alternative:

Fellow United pilot and ALPA member DCA 777 First Officer Dan Ward is running against Dave Brat in the VA 7th District. Regardless of where you live or which political party you favor, this race matters to all United pilots and our careers. If you believe in putting "America first" when it comes to the U.S. aviation industry, it is worth making an investment in supporting Dan Ward for Congress.

Please consider a donation of one hour's pay to help elect a fellow United pilot to Congress in 2018.


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Do you know how many cosponsors there are of this bill?

Less than 1. I don't give it much of a snowball's chance of passing with zero copsonsors.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-...verview=closed

Has there been any details for when this bill gets voted on vs when Dan’s Election Day is? I’m trying to research that now. Also, have we all begun to reach out to our state representatives to express how we feel about this bill?

It’s got ME3 Money behind it, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it. Even if it does, it won’t be the last.

No ALPA Call to Action.

If there's a lot of ME3 money behind this, it's being wasted because the bill has no cosponsors.

Dan Ward=Nancy Pelosi

Dan may be a great guy but this is about bigger things. Bad bill but elections matter.

Don’t mean to sound like a paranoid pilot but that could be what they want you to think.


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So it's an ALPA conspiracy to get this bill passed????


There are a lot of things to worry about with this career (for anyone with more than 10 years to retirement, they should start being concerned about pilotless aircraft). I pay ALPA dues to let me know when it's time to get concerned about legislative issues. When they send out a Call To Action, I send my legislators the canned ALPA message. Until then, I've got more important things to worry about.

As a comparison of cosponsors, the Action For Dental Health Act of 2017 had 83 cosponsors. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-...3A%22all%22%7D

I guess that bill had some big dental money behind it?

Great! Name association....
Trump = Nixon
Trump may be a great guy, but this is about little things like integrity, ethics, leadership & character!


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As for Dan Ward's political aspirations, he's got an uphill battle. That's Cantor's old seat (he got primaried by Dems in that district because they have open primaries in VA and many Ds intentionally voted for Cantor's opponent, Brat).

However, VA-7's got a Cook PVI (partisan voting index) of R+6. Brat (or any other R candidate) will very likely beat Dan Ward.