WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican senator is trying to relax the medical requirements for private pilots who fly small planes.

And that effort by Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma is drawing complaints from Democrats who say he's going back on a compromise that became law only two months ago.

Inhofe is an avid, 81-year-old pilot who's had a quadruple heart bypass. He's trying to eliminate a requirement that pilots have a statement from their doctor saying they don't have a medical condition that would interfere with their ability to safely operate a plane.

Congressional aides say Inhofe has proposed the change as part of House and Senate negotiations on a major defense bill.

The aides weren't authorized to discuss the issue publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.