‘Please Send That To The Committee’: Ed Markey Urges Witnesses Send Analysis Of FAA Workforce Cuts

Forbes Breaking News

During Wednesday’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) spoke about the impact of workforce cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration.

Transcript

00:00Thank you. Senator Markey.

00:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

00:06I'd like to talk about the Trump Administration's cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration's workforce.

00:15Over the last few months, the Department of Transportation has twice sent early retirement offers to its employees

00:26and then attempted to fire its probationary workers.

00:30In total, more than 1,000 FAA employees either accepted the buyout

00:37or were probationary employees that the Administration tried to fire.

00:43I understand that the Department of Transportation exempted safety-related positions from these personnel moves,

00:51but these reductions can still severely impact FAA operations.

00:56For each of the witnesses, how many employees in your respective offices either accepted the buyout offer

01:04or were fired probationary employees?

01:09So right now, the process of accepting the Deferred Resignation Program is still in process,

01:16so we don't have our final numbers at this point.

01:19As you mentioned correctly, our safety-critical employees were accepted.

01:23So within Aviation Safety, that meant our inspectors, our engineers, doctors.

01:27So how many have accepted so far?

01:29I don't have those numbers at this time.

01:31Okay, could you get me the numbers, please?

01:33We'll find out what we can use.

01:34Okay, that's fine. Yes, Mr. McIntosh.

01:36I was going to echo Ms. Baker's same comments.

01:38We're still waiting for the DRPs to be exercised, but again, our safety-critical position.

01:44No, I appreciate that. What are the numbers for the employees? Do you have that?

01:47We won't have that number until after everyone has time to either accept or decline the DRP process,

01:53which we have not hit that deadline yet, sir.

01:55Okay, what's the deadline?

01:57Is it May 15th? Is it...

02:00The deadline would depend on when each individual receives their agreement to sign.

02:06Most employees have a 45-day period.

02:09A 45-day?

02:10A 45-day period after that.

02:11So we're coming up pretty close to the end of the deadline, huh?

02:14As with any personnel, Senator, as with any personnel matter,

02:18we'll need to take that back and see what data we can,

02:22to make a determination what data we can provide.

02:25Yeah.

02:26Did your offices each conduct an internal analysis or risk assessments

02:33of how these workforce cuts will impact aviation safety oversight? Did you do an internal analysis?

02:39I would say for the Office of Airports, we are watching that very closely as...

02:44Did you do an internal analysis?

02:45Yes, we have done an internal analysis, and we're working across regional or geographic boundaries when we see a need

02:52to make sure that we are providing the same level of service to our airport sponsors and to all of our...

02:58Will you provide that analysis to the committee, please?

03:00The analysis that you've done is to...

03:02Again, I need to...

03:03Have you done that...

03:04Have you done that analysis? Do you have it?

03:05Yes, we have done that analysis, again, with any personnel matter...

03:09Okay, please provide that analysis in terms of what the impact is of any of those cuts on aviation status.

03:15So we'll have that. The same for you, Ms. Baker. Can you do that for us, too?

03:18We've had conversations around how we will fill critical vacancies...

03:23Do you have data, though? Do you have data that you've developed?

03:26At this point, we don't have final data.

03:28Okay, please send that to the committee. Mr. McIntosh?

03:31No, sir. We have not done an internal analysis.

03:34The Air Traffic Organization has been fortunate.

03:36It's the largest number of our individuals are safety-exempt employees,

03:40and the ones that aren't are going to be...

03:43Majority will be needed for continuity of operations.

03:46Well, again, send us the analysis in terms of the support people,

03:49in terms of what your conclusion is in terms of their role in safety.

03:54And I do support cutting fraud and waste

03:57in ensuring that the department is operating efficiently,

04:00but the Trump administration is forcing agencies to blindly cut their workforces

04:04without regard to merit or experience.

04:07They aren't targeting probation employees because they are the least efficient or effective.

04:13They're targeting them because they're the easiest to fire.

04:16They actually might have had a good role, an important role to play.

04:20And given the tragic crash in Washington, D.C. in January,

04:24and the recent air traffic control outages in Newark,

04:28now is not the time to be taking chances with personnel levels.

04:33We can see the chaos, confusion growing and growing month by month since Trump has taken over.

04:39And finally, earlier this year, I asked Secretary Duffy a written question

04:44about whether he would convene stakeholders to discuss raising the wages and benefits

04:49of airport service workers.

04:51These workers are the unsung heroes of our aviation system,

04:55and I was pleased that the Secretary agreed to bring together a group for such a discussion.

05:00Mr. Hybeck, are you able to provide any update on the Secretary's commitment

05:04to convene stakeholders on this issue?

05:08No, I'm not very familiar with that issue, and I'll need to circle back with you if that's okay.

05:12Okay. I need you to do that, if you could, as promptly as you could.

05:16Appreciate that.

05:17And in terms of my law last year that included my legislation with Secretary Vance

05:26that banned family seating fees under our bill, the Department of Transportation is required

05:31to issue a rule prohibiting airlines from charging parents a fee to sit with their children.

05:36Can any of the witnesses provide an update on that rulemaking?

05:40I'm a mother. I have two kids. This one means a lot to me.

05:44This is something that is being managed by the Aviation Consumer Protection Division

05:48at the Department of Transportation, and we're happy to facilitate any kind of communication on that.

05:52Yeah, I think it's very important for the agency to update the committee.

05:56That's a very important issue, and again, I did that issue with Vice President Vance,

06:01and so we'd love to see those protections go into effect and helpful to hear from the Department of Commerce.

06:09Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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