Sen. Inhofe to Retire From Congress

March 03, 2022 – U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), a tireless GA advocate and EAA member, has announced that he will retire at the end of 2022 after a long tenure of public service, including more than a quarter-century in the U.S. Senate. He has been an annual visitor to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for decades, hosting a forum for EAA members on legislative efforts in the nation’s capital.

As part of his trips to Oshkosh, Sen. Inhofe also updated EAA members on aviation legislation matters through outreach through AirVenture Today, EAA Radio, and with the flightline announcer team. He has stated his intention to join fellow EAA members at Oshkosh again in 2022.

“Senator Inhofe has had a remarkable positive impact on the rights of GA pilots in our country, starting with his support of Bob Hoover in the 1990s, manufacturer liability reform through the General Aviation Revitalization Act, his leadership on the Pilots’ Bill of Rights, BasicMed medical certification, and most recently expanding aviation workforce development,” said EAA CEO and Chairman Jack Pelton. “His love of aviation and intimate knowledge of legislative workings made him a formidable advocate for aviation who will be deeply missed on Capitol Hill.”

Sen. Inhofe, EAA 179992, has more than 11,000 logged flight hours and notably marked the 60th anniversary of Wiley Post’s legendary trip when he joined three other pilots for a flight around the world in 1991. Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Inhofe served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Oklahoma House and Senate, and as mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.