Wasn't it E-R who pushed for the reduced aviation degree graduates to have reduced experience/restricted ATP for 121 FO's, not just ex-mil pilots?
It really is ridiculous, the whole system of peanut salaries in regionals, having to fork out for degree not needed so that one can get hired by 'mainline' and all the other crap. These new regs will definitely change the job/hiring/company training landscape in US, but all I heard from current Dash 8 FO friend that one regional/feeder airline may consider doing cadet scheme for ab-initios as way to 'keep' copilots. Not sure how it'd work with the ATP rule, though. Maybe just a rumour. It'd be silly to see it happen, spending cash to avoid paying semi-decent salaries and providing T&C's.
One pointless kneejerk reaction after another from legislators/FAA, just that the publicly known underlying root causes of many accidents, are not supressed by better training, commuting/staff-friendly rosters and rest.