[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6301579,"mediaKeyId","2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310","parentId",2487352,"title","Members, unions and industry raise alarms over proposed swap of Verizon FAA contract for Starlink and Musk-era personnel changes","audioSeconds",4621,"startMs",2919000,"endMs",7540000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310&start=2919&end=7540","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310/thumbnail_2919000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6301579/Members-unions-and-industry-raise-alarms-over-proposed-swap-of-Verizon-FAA-contract-for-Starlink-and-Musk-era-personnel-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301579-1d068398ac19b055e17f5ed5dd0df76a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770643272&Signature=XAi~A5oLlmL1wF11aFKKDPju4m5FJPSV0W000RcOGkkn5fUq7R~XhfWgRfyAx1jJDe-MD07RL~FTfZUD8P5MoupOgvWOSVWTE1msX1KW-W4plPXI996S6-ehEClWmgM-NZzrax6qYnbPoldIsFOLrZAlwXu8lpnD0WqZna0y42WU0qKGA27Kkjr-HBwAYmIqx1OSrWoUy9ynXRmKHNlaTf~KDYJBcL-PXBRmI0bQADKAdQol3mzT3tUR3oiWybYpvCP5kTo7ndaC51V7bJRC6y08l5ZhG86TGMH7VFknNWc4cXramoYeduUgf6qBXqz9nOooezHndSz6hxBUn72Lgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure","date","2025-03-04T18:46:37Z","article","WASHINGTON — Lawmakers, labor leaders and industry witnesses at the House Aviation subcommittee raised concerns about reports the Department of Transportation and FAA are considering canceling a multi-year telecom contract held by Verizon and potentially replacing it with service from SpaceX/Starlink.

Multiple members and witnesses warned such a move could trigger costly litigation, slow deployment of needed telecom upgrades and undermine public confidence if conducted without normal competitive procurement. Witnesses and union leaders told the committee they were not consulted before some administration personnel actions and that the sudden change in direction raised operational questions.

Unions and witnesses asked that any vendor change be tested, competed and implemented only with FAA oversight and with labor participation in testing and deployment. \"Regardless of who's awarded the contract, NACA stands in firm support of remaining involved as a collaborative partner in developing and testing and implementing any new technologies,\" Nick Daniels testified.

Members also tied the procurement concern to recent personnel actions. Several members and witnesses said probationary-terminations and other workforce moves had removed technical expertise and raised doubts about whether remaining staff would be asked to implement a new vendor selection under pressure.

Lawmakers asked the DOT and FAA to explain contract status and procurement steps in writing, to preserve continuity of service, and to avoid decisions that would interrupt the deployment of modernized communications that are a backbone of the National Airspace System.

Ending note: witnesses emphasized shared goals — secure, resilient communications and tested upgrades — and urged transparent, timely competition and worker involvement rather than last-minute unilateral vendor changes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","America Builds: Air Traffic Control System Infrastructure and Staffing","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members, labor representatives and industry witnesses raised concerns about reports that the FAA might abandon a multiyear telecommunications contract with Verizon in favor of SpaceX/Starlink, warning that unilateral contract changes and recent personnel actions could slow modernization, prompt litigation and affect safety.","taxTitle","Transportation and Infrastructure: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1827,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6301583,"Controllers, technicians and probationary staff: shortages, recent firings and shutdown risks strain FAA safety operations",384,2814000,3198000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310&start=2814&end=3198","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310/thumbnail_2814000.jpg","/articles/6301583/Controllers-technicians-and-probationary-staff-shortages-recent-firings-and-shutdown-risks-strain-FAA-safety-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301583-274abda136a87338544b68f42b1368cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770643272&Signature=YCQ4GmZ~eO2OiMcxZtLPjK0SGAlGo3rRe1YSUzbqXK7Yq7gWGTqtzoEGrYuO6Ye4-iE9ErP9h9Vfwp8urds1cr2iODREBWZ~L6g6z6dfBrjUq4xeEXXl0wA-6okgEi0h1SaLo6CDWbSGdhaN6VNHk~R94vbS3uoLO4PZ-mJFyA6PbB1aCPGVuzB4Q9HebolXmpxTJnX1oYf-IjzZBU5w19dfZARZkb8SFMS0e52IzzPWXEakYN~MqnwNwExpTWex0M3PnwNf2DKAn8TzMO4W5l9ZMH6IHn6qcwpROoE3mvnYq~fHp7d-IQyNs6qXlqO2RvxlHFCJj8~IXhFKqq5JIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Lawmakers and union leaders at a House Aviation subcommittee hearing warned that the FAA is coping with chronic understaffing of safety-critical roles, recent administration firings of probationary employees that removed program and technical staff, and a looming government funding threat that could close the FAA training academy and set hiring and modernization back by months.

Who said what: Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), told the subcommittee the U.S. is about 3,600 certified professional controllers short of what the industry modeling indicates is needed. He said controller training takes roughly two to three years from hiring to certification and that a government shutdown would force the Oklahoma City Academy to close and pause new trainees. \"A 35-day shutdown put us 500 trainees behind,\" Daniels said, describing the long restart time.

Technical and maintenance staff matter: Dave Sparrow of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) and other witnesses described the roles of airway-transportation-system specialists, aeronautical information specialists and maintenance mechanics who keep radar, communications and navigation equipment operational. PASS testified that some job series face shortages and that about 36% of certain technician workforces are age 55 or older, increasing near-term retirement risks.

Impact of recent probationary firings: Committee members and union witnesses described recent mass terminations of probationary employees. Witnesses said air traffic controllers themselves were not part of those firings, but that many aviation safety professionals and program assistants who support frontline operations were removed. PASS said only a small number (about three) of the 32 terminated employees represented by that union had been restored; the remainder had not been rehired as of the hearing.

Morale and safety implications: Witnesses said the firings and other personnel actions have demoralized technical and safety staff and required frontline employees to perform additional non-technical tasks, reducing their capacity to focus on safety-critical work. Members and witnesses repeatedly cautioned that removing supporting staff without assessing operational impacts \"bakes risk into the system.\"

Government-shutdown threat: Multiple witnesses told the committee that a shutdown would halt the training pipeline, pause modernization work and cause months-long restarts, citing the 35-day shutdown that closed the training academy and delayed hiring. Witnesses asked Congress to avoid shutdowns and to ensure predictable, multi-year funding for hiring, training and modernization.

Proposals discussed: Witnesses and members urged increasing academy throughput (including expanded use of simulators to shorten training time), restoring or expanding the College Training Initiative, establishing direct hiring streams (including from the military), and offering pay and retention incentives for controllers and technicians in high-cost areas.

Ending note: Committee members asked the FAA and the administration for more transparent staffing plans and near-term actions to stop additional erosion of technical capacity; witnesses said long-term workforce and funding commitments are essential to restore resiliency.","Union leaders and GAO testimony to the House Aviation subcommittee described a persistent shortage of air-traffic controllers and technical specialists, recent probationary firings that removed support staff, and the risk that a government shutdown would halt training and worsen staffing gaps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6301588,"GAO: large share of FAA air-traffic systems unsustainable; lawmakers press for emergency funding and procurement fixes",283,2873000,3156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310&start=2873&end=3156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2487352-59808c7b0824cc87a3c40373f5482310/thumbnail_2873000.jpg","/articles/6301588/GAO-large-share-of-FAA-air-traffic-systems-unsustainable-lawmakers-press-for-emergency-funding-and-procurement-fixes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301588-2d9a668b068e30df185267272cc94acc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770643272&Signature=Gjnp1QJ72gUZzE7skwUhS~oGmN8kFM8I2RDESI79PEkqq08j2cAW-wbffbtpHuZuxq8gyWbFBVvrxkGHG4xU7xvtzyv7DcjYZHgHhBBbLLJehzlQWpol0nHeuQFe19ZtBtnDgCQA9h~Xm5aa~Y00tDiSYg-x1QSK7fy020U4YPKvWPiTP6PeC0We48LfMyZmH9lwHesH7OuSR27uXk1mPb48UIA0UDqaCWZwvCov7mSLdjKNx~qq7T9Olh25NuQIgjvrrnQS17O0tI7ZsKGJt-6KHPqvD5r~EXzziL61HI-yw77Ky3AgYbNZoXNsFaePOlvM~VczXqNJ4MxYWnB26w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Government Accountability Office testimony and industry witnesses at a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee hearing said the nation’s air-traffic control technology is aging and, in some cases, unsustainable, and urged Congress and the FAA to expedite replacement and overhaul work.

A GAO witness said the agency’s 2023 operational risk assessment and GAO analysis found many systems either unsustainable or potentially unsustainable, and that FAA acquisitions for modernization have been slow: some investments took years to establish cost, schedule and performance baselines and then many more years to complete. \"FAA plans to take, on average, almost 13 years\" for several investments the GAO examined, the witness said.

Why it matters: witnesses warned that aging systems — from notams to surveillance and telecommunications backbones — create safety and capacity risks and make modernization more expensive. Several witnesses said the FAA’s facilities-and-equipment (F&E) backlog is large; stakeholders cited an annual need of about $6 billion for F&E to begin replacing legacy systems rather than spending most sustainment money keeping old equipment running.

GAO and witnesses described recurring program-management problems. \"FAA took on average more than 4 years to establish cost schedule and performance baselines for these investments,\" the GAO testimony said, and FAA sometimes provided limited oversight prior to setting baselines. GAO recommended steps including segmenting efforts into manageable work packages, establishing baselines more quickly, and developing a detailed risk-mitigation plan. The witness said FAA generally concurred and has begun actions but that \"quick and continued action is needed.\"

Industry witnesses echoed GAO. Airlines and trade groups urged faster procurement and use of authorities Congress already provided. An industry coalition’s letter and witnesses pointed to three near-term priorities: stabilizing the telecommunications backbone, replacing the NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) system, and deploying surface-awareness tools to reduce runway incursions.

Witnesses and members also discussed procurement and budgeting constraints. Several witnesses said FAA’s acquisition and procurement processes have added years to modernization projects, and that roughly 90%-plus of current F&E funding is consumed by sustaining legacy equipment, leaving little for modernization. Members suggested options for multi-year financing and emergency funding to accelerate work.

The panel agreed Congress’s 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act sets requirements that should speed modernization — for example, audits of legacy systems and accelerated replacements — but several lawmakers and witnesses said implementation will determine whether the law achieves its goals. GAO and industry witnesses urged oversight and repeatedly pressed FAA for clearer timelines and priorities.

The hearing concluded with members calling for short-term emergency funding and for the FAA to provide updated, facility- and system-level plans to Congress so lawmakers can oversee progress and evaluate budget actions.

Ending note: witnesses said some modernization projects already have demonstrable safety benefits (for example, the surface-awareness initiative), but that replacing the most critical legacy systems will require faster acquisition, steady multi-year funding and sustained oversight to avoid long delays and elevated operational risk.","At a House Aviation subcommittee hearing, GAO and industry witnesses said many federal air-traffic control systems have exceeded their service lives, slowing modernization. Witnesses and members pressed for clearer FAA plans, faster procurement and roughly $6 billion a year for facilities and equipment to accelerate replacement of legacy systems.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Members, unions and industry raise alarms over proposed swap of Verizon FAA contract for Starlink and Musk-era personnel changes

Controllers, technicians and probationary staff: shortages, recent firings and shutdown risks strain FAA safety operations

GAO: large share of FAA air-traffic systems unsustainable; lawmakers press for emergency funding and procurement fixes