09.03.20

Hoeven Helps Advance Aviation Workforce Training Programs

Senator Joins Bipartisan Group Urging FAA to Implement Programs Authorized and Funded by Congress

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven this week joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.), in urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement two aviation workforce training programs authorized under the 2018 FAA reauthorization legislation. Hoeven cosponsored the legislation that established these aviation workforce training programs, and as a member of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Committee, he helped fund the programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations legislation. The programs include:

  • Pilot Education – supports the creation and delivery of curriculum designed to provide high school students with meaningful science, technology, engineering, math and aviation education, helping to encourage the next generation of pilots.
  • Training for Aviation Technicians – addresses the aviation maintenance skills gap by encouraging and facilitating collaboration between schools, government, labor and industry to recruit and train the technical talent needed to keep America’s aerospace sector operating safely and efficiently.

“Aviation is an important part of North Dakota’s heritage and plays a critical role in today’s economy throughout our state,” said Hoeven. “Institutions like the University of North Dakota help meet the ever-growing demand for pilots and technicians, and we authorized and funded these programs to support their essential work. We need the FAA to move forward on implementing the programs, which have broad, bipartisan support.” 

In addition to Hoeven, Van Hollen and Inhofe, the letter was signed by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Angus King (I-Maine), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The full text can be found here.

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