PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 26, 2010
Pilot Professionalism Assurance Act - Authorizes air carriers to use information obtained from a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder to: (1) discipline or discharge a pilot or flight engineer for actions that endanger the safety or well being of passengers; (2) defend itself in any discipline or discharge grievance proceeding; (3) evaluate or monitor the judgment or performance of an individual pilot or crew member; (4) justify or require a pilot's submission to a proficiency check or line check; or (5) effect any other purpose relating to improving the safety or well being of passengers.
Requires each air carrier that has obtained such information to keep it confidential, and allows disclosure only to the extent required in an administrative or judicial proceeding.
Prohibits tampering with, disabling, or destroying any cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder installed on a commercial aircraft. Prescribes criminal penalties for violation of this prohibition.
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Requires an air carrier to terminate immediately the employment of any commercial pilot who violates this prohibition. Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to revoke immediately the airman certificate issued to that pilot.
People & committees
Sen. DeMint, Jim [R-SC] · R–SC
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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