WASHINGTON, D.C—Rep. Greg Stanton joined a group of lawmakers in urging Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy to take immediate action in implementing key aviation safety reforms included in the recently passed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization. This push follows the recent midair collision near Reagan National Airport, a deadly runway crash at Scottsdale Airport, and a crash at Toronto Pearson Airport involving a plane departing from the United States—both underscoring the urgent need for enhanced air traffic control and aviation safety measures.
“Last year, Congress passed the 2024 FAA Reauthorization, which prescribed a five-year roadmap for how the Administration should strengthen aviation safety, including by accelerating the hiring of air traffic controllers, updating our aging air traffic control (ATC) systems, and increasing runway safety, among many other safety reforms. We urge you to immediately prioritize the swift implementation of the law’s safety programs to help prevent future devastating accidents,” the members wrote.
The bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which Stanton worked through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to shape and pass last year, lays out a clear roadmap to improve aviation safety, including:
- Hiring more air traffic controllers to address critical understaffing issues.
- Updating aging air traffic control technology and systems, many of which are decades old and increasingly unreliable.
- Deploying advanced runway safety technologies to prevent close calls and improve airport operations.
- Reviewing airplane passenger emergency medical kits and evacuation procedures.
Stanton and his colleagues are calling on DOT and FAA leadership to focus on enacting these reforms without delay, rather than getting caught up in bureaucratic obstacles or proposals that could weaken safety oversight.
A full copy of the letter can be found HERE.