who really calls the shots
I think you guys are looking to the wrong people to solve this issue. It won't be the FAA or other regulators, and it won't be airline management deciding by themselves to double the requirements.
In the end it will be the airline's insurance company that simply says, no, sorry, we won't insure you if you keep using these low experience guys. They'll insist on X, Y and Z to maintain the insurance coverage. And since the insurance company ends up paying the bills for the hull loss and the loss of life and everything else, I'm sure they're paying close attention to the odd's of paying here versus premiums received.
The insurance company in the end can trump all the legislative processes and everything by threatening to withdraw cover, unilaterally. Or increasing premiums to some crippling expense..
G