Increasing engagement with HSIs in the 28th District
Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON— Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) included language addressing military pilot shortages in military bases across the nation and in Texas in a FY19 Appropriations package containing the Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bills. This language encourages the Department of Defense (DoD) to partner with higher education institutions, including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions to develop programs to better prepare students to meet eligibility requirements of pilot training.
The legislation passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by the President in late September.
Currently, in the Air Force alone, there is a shortage of over 1,800 pilots. This shortage is partly due to a lack of prepared candidates graduating from civilian colleges and universities. This lack of qualified aviator pool leaves the Services scrambling for recruits. Increasing partnerships with educational institutions will develop programs that will prepare more students to meet military eligibility requirements, increasing the aviator pipeline for all branches of the military and helping reduce the DoD’s critical pilot shortage.
“In an increasingly complex world with diverse threats at home and abroad, military pilots are a vital component to our national security,” said Congressman Cuellar. “This funding will directly address the current pilot shortage, allowing the DoD to compete with the growing demand for our military capabilities. I want to make sure that our military has the necessary resources to augment and reinforce active duty forces as a front line of defense at home and abroad. By encouraging partnerships with DoD, Hispanic Serving Institutions will have what they need to prepare students to meet eligibility requirements of pilot training. Doing so will take steps to improve our military readiness and ensure our national security objectives are achieved.”
Congressman Cuellar continued, “I would like to thank my fellow Appropriators and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Granger and Ranking Member Visclosky for helping me secure these funds. I would also thank my fellow Texas Representatives for their leadership on this issue.”
