'Look Me In The Eye—Did You Fire Any Air Traffic Controllers?': John Kennedy Grills Sean Duffy

Forbes Breaking News

At a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioned Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy about air traffic controllers.

Transcript

00:00Now we go to Senator Kennedy.

00:03Thank you, Madam Chair, Mr. Secretary. Welcome.

00:07It's good to be with you, Senator.

00:12You know what the Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas is?

00:20Why, yes, I do.

00:23Where are you going to put it?

00:24I think it's going to go in your state, Senator.

00:30When are you going to announce it?

00:33Very soon.

00:34I know our teams have been working together on that.

00:37If you want to front-run it here, we could,

00:40but I know that we were working on an announcement together,

00:43and our teams have been working.

00:44I want to front-run the hell out of it.

00:46All right.

00:48Where's it going to be put?

00:50In Louisiana?

00:51Lake, what it would?

00:53McNeese.

00:54Lake Charles, Lake Neese, Lake Charles.

00:57And you're going to make an announcement, Sean, the next few days?

01:01Yeah.

01:01I know we've been working on some finer points and details,

01:04but, yes, that's where it's going to go.

01:07And I think, if my memory serves me,

01:11I think we're trying to get this stood up and moving by this summer.

01:16Well, I want to get it announced first.

01:20Sure.

01:20So your colleagues can't take it back?

01:24No one's taking anything from you, Senator.

01:26It's coming your way.

01:28I see my old friend, Mr. Plotkin, here.

01:32Watch him like a hawk, by the way.

01:35He said you do not want to make Senator Kennedy upset on this project.

01:39Well, your predecessor told me a number of times

01:45that it was about to be announced, and it was never announced.

01:50I don't mean any disrespect.

01:53I just finally didn't believe him anymore.

01:56I don't think Elvis is alive either.

01:59So I learned.

02:01But if you could go ahead and announce it, it sure would.

02:05I'll buy you a soda and a nice hat.

02:11I would appreciate that.

02:12Okay.

02:13When you got to the department and became secretary,

02:16did you fire a bunch of air traffic controllers?

02:20I did not, Senator.

02:22Did Mr. Musk do that?

02:24He did not.

02:26Where did all this stuff come from?

02:28So there were about 350 probationary employees at the FAA that were let go.

02:38And we're trying to stream.

02:38By the way, there's 46,000 people that work at the FAA.

02:41So this was a minuscule percentage.

02:44But even air traffic controllers who were probationary employees were excluded.

02:49All safety positions were preserved at the FAA, including air traffic controllers.

02:54And so I think it's a narrative that some in media and in politics have tried to drive

03:01as if we're not focused on safety.

03:03But I have been crystal clear, and I think I've said this until my face is blue,

03:08though it's not today.

03:09But it could be because we did not actually fire any air traffic controllers, Senator.

03:17We've been hiring air traffic controllers as quickly as we can.

03:21And so I don't know how many times I have to say it.

03:23Let's say it one more time.

03:25Yes.

03:25When you became secretary, look me in the eye.

03:28Did you fire any air traffic controllers?

03:31I did not.

03:31Okay.

03:32And I did hire air traffic controllers.

03:33Did Mr. Musk?

03:36So, by the way, Mr. Musk doesn't fire or hire anybody at the department.

03:39I do.

03:40And so, no, he didn't fire anybody, including air traffic controllers.

03:43Okay.

03:43You probably don't have to, but when most people go through TSA, they take your picture.

03:56They have a little camera there, and they say, look in the camera.

04:01We want to take your picture.

04:02Now, underneath it is this little bitty sign that you can barely see, and I think it's

04:10written in Sanskrit that says, this is optional.

04:15I won't let them take my picture.

04:17I won't either, Senator.

04:18And they promised us that they destroy the data.

04:28Okay.

04:29Once again, I don't believe that Elvis is alive either.

04:34Senator Merkley and I have a bill.

04:38There's been no evidence that this has prevented any acts of terrorism.

04:43And I just don't know why the federal government has to collect this huge database of every

04:53American who flies picture.

04:57I thank you for that.

04:58I couldn't agree with you more.

05:01I actually try to turn my head away from the camera when I go through and they're taking

05:06pictures.

05:07There's no need.

05:08I think Americans have a right to privacy.

05:10And I don't think you need a digital scan of my face to allow me to have the right to

05:15fly on an airplane.

05:16I think it's absolutely wrong.

05:17And what does it do to security?

05:19I don't think it breeds any more security in our airspace, on our airplanes.

05:23And so thank you for doing that work.

05:25I couldn't agree with you more.

05:26Thank you, Madam Chair.

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