WASHINGTON, D.C. – At today’s committee hearing on the horrific DCA aircraft collision, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—secured a commitment from Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Chris Rocheleau to report back to her on how many certified air traffic controllers around the country are waiting for medical clearances to return to work and to help ensure these medical reviews are happening in a timely manner.
Duckworth is hearing air traffic controllers in the Chicagoland area have been caught up in this backlog that is keeping them from getting back on the job to help keep our aviation system safe for the flying public. Duckworth’s exchange with Acting Administrator Rocheleau can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
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“I’m being told there are certified controllers in Chicago who are waiting for their FAA medical clearances in order to return to work—which is extremely concerning as we continue to face a shortage of air traffic controllers,” said Duckworth. “I worry this issue may be happening elsewhere as well. I appreciate that Acting Administrator Rocheleau committed to working with me to ensure controllers in Chicago and around the country receive medical reviews in a timely manner so they can get back on the job.”
As our nation continues to experience an air traffic controller shortage amid multiple near-misses and midair collisions, Duckworth underscored how critical it is that the FAA does not lower its longstanding high standard and potentially sacrifice effectiveness for efficiency. Two weeks after the horrific DCA aircraft collision that killed 67 passengers and crew, the Trump Administration began firing hundreds of FAA employees. Last month, Duckworth sent a letter to FAA Acting Administrator Rocheleau on the reasoning behind these cuts to the workforce.
For years, Duckworth has been sounding the alarm that we must make these critical aviation safety investments immediately to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings—one last December and the other a year prior—to address our aviation industry’s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.
