Congressman Johnson Re-introduces Bill to Boost Minorities in the Aviation Industry

Local support includes GA colleagues, local commercial pilot of a non-profit in Kennesaw -- the Brock Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) today re-introduced the Minorities in Aviation Education Act, which would create a grant program aimed at improving the preparation and representation of minorities in aviation-related fields.

Sixteen of his colleagues are cosponsoring the bill, including two Georgia Representatives – Reps. Sanford Bishop (GA-02) and Nikema Williams (GA-05). 

The new grant program, administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will be named for Bessie Coleman, an American aviator and the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license.

It comes on the heels of Black History Month and the end of Women’s History Month. The bill’s name honors the history of Black pioneers for their courage and perseverance that paved the way for new generations to pursue careers in aviation. It also recognizes how young aviators are making it in the world of aviation today and paves a path for future generations of aviators.

“By increasing educational opportunities in fields such as piloting, engineering, scientists, aviation maintenance and unmanned aircraft systems, we will tap into the unparalleled potential of minority students and encourage them to enter good-paying careers while bolstering our aviation workforce,” Congressman Johnson said.

Georgia is home to thousands of Black aviation professionals and leaders, from flight attendants to pilots and scientists. Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world and employs over 55,000 people.

Omar Brock, a commercial pilot, formed a non-profit in Kennesaw called the Brock Foundation to foster career paths in aviation among minority students with the help of mentors said Congressman Johnson’s bill would help minority youth find their way in the aviation industry.

“Today, African Americans make up three percent of the pilot workforce and other minority groups trend in the same direction,” said Brock. “Aviation makes up five percent of the U.S. GDP. There should be a governmental and social responsibility to uphold our moral obligation to address the plight minority aviators face attempting to become tomorrow’s aerospace professionals. Given the current pilot shortage the “Minorities in Aviation Education Act” will help aspiring minority aviators to meet the $100,000 investment necessary to become an Airline Transport Pilot. The Brock Foundation endorses this bill with the hopes that it can help normalize minorities in aviation.”

Minorities in Aviation Education Act takes a critical step forward towards diversifying the aviation industry by providing grant funds to states, local governments, institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations to increase the exposure and access to aviation-related education and jobs. 

Cosponsors include: Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ), Rep. Gwen Moore (NY), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA), Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Rep. Sean Casten (IL), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY), Rep. André Carson (IN), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY), Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (FLA), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Nikema Williams (GA), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ).

Supporting organizations: Archer Aviation, Academy of Model Aeronautics, Airport Minority Aviation Council, Omar Brock Foundation, Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Read the bill HERE. 

The legislation now goes to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for consideration.

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