U.S. Rep, Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said on X that although it’s too soon to say what caused the fatal Jan. 29 collisio
The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is pictured, Feb. 1, 2025, in Arlington, Va., near the wreckage of a mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet in the Potomac River.
President Donald Trump ordered a federal hiring freeze Jan 20. It included exemptions for public safety jobs, but did not specify which jobs were exempt. The White House has said that air traffic controllers fall under the public safety exemption and that hiring was never frozen or suspended. But in the days before a U.S. Army helicopter and passenger jet collided near Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, a union representing air traffic controllers said it was unclear whether air traffic controllers were exempt from the hiring freeze. U.S. Rep, Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said on X that although it’s too soon to say what caused the fatal Jan. 29 collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet, President Donald Trump had cut several aviation safety jobs and paused new hires as soon as he resumed the presidency.a government-wide hiring freeze, stopping any open positions from being filled and any new positions from being created. But it exempted several categories, including"public safety" jobs. Crockett’s office told PolitiFact that her claim was based on Trump’s hiring freeze directive, which did not explicitly say that air traffic controllers were exempt and cited a lack of clarity about exemptions in the days preceding the crash. Still, air traffic controller shortages at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and nationwide have been a long-standing problem, and aviation experts told PolitiFact thatPolitiFact cannot independently confirm whether the hiring of air traffic controllers was ever frozen or if such a freeze was lifted. We could not find any documentation detailing when the Federal Aviation Administration outlined its exemptions, when that was made clear to employees and whether jobs were ever removed from the federal jobs portal.in a Jan. 27 statement:"At this time, we do not have a definitive answer if the hiring freeze affects air traffic control hiring." A Jan. 29 statement On Jan. 22, two ranking members of transportation and aviation related committees, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., and Rep. Rick Larsen, D- Wash., issued aJan. 22 that Sen.Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the Senate Commerce Committee chair, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth D-Ill., the ranking member on the aviation subcommittee, had no information on how the freeze affected air traffic controller staffing.in a memo that"positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety," are exempt. It directed agency heads to consult the Office of Personnel Management about the exemptions.that the freeze didn’t affect air traffic controllers. He said that almost 1,200 critical safety positions, including air traffic controllers, were exempted. Duffy also said the Federal Aviation Administration had hired new controllers that week. USAjobs.gov, a portal listing federal government job openings, had air traffic control jobs The FAA also told PolitiFact that it continues hiring new controllers, but did not address questions about whether hiring was ever paused.,"We do thank Secretary Duffy, he did lift the hiring freeze on air traffic controllers now." Daniels did not specify when Duffy lifted the freeze. PolitiFact emailed Daniels’ organization, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, but got no response.the Transportation Safety Administration administrator, the Coast Guard commandant and the Aviation Security Advisory Committee members, a group that includes private-sector aviation groups, The Associated Press reported. Although these officials are involved in aviation safety, the firings"would not have led to such an immediate impact," said Jim Cardoso, a former U.S. Air Force colonel and pilot who is now senior director of the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute. "All the processes to control and deconflict air traffic in the D.C. area have been well established for a long time," Cardoso said."The personnel involved in the accident — air crew from the two aircraft and the in place at the time of the accident — would similarly not have been affected by" the recent policy changes in Trump’s executive orders, he said.Jan. 30 that staffing at the air traffic control tower was"not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," based on an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report. The Reagan airport tower has been understaffed for years, partly because of employee turnover and tight budgets, the Times reported.Interview with Spokesperson for Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Jan. 31, 2025“As California attorney general, redefined child sex trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon, and rape of an unconscious person as a totally nonviolent crime.” “Al patinador artístico estadounidense Jon Maravilla se le negó el embarque en el vuelo de American Airlines que posteriormente colisionó con un helicóptero”.From the U.S. Agency for International Development funding, “10 to 30 cents on the dollar is what actually goes to aid.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mace and Crockett Clash in Heated House HearingRep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Jasmine Crockett engaged in a heated exchange during a House hearing on civil rights and transgender rights. The argument stemmed from Crockett's criticism of Mace's rhetoric on transgender issues, leading to Mace challenging Crockett to 'take it outside'. While Rep. Comer ruled that Mace's remark wasn't a call to violence, the incident sparked debate and drew social media responses from both lawmakers.
Read more »
Watch Nancy Mace challenge Jasmine Crockett to fight in heated meeting: ‘I am not a child’“Somebody’s campaign coffers really are struggling right now,” Crockett said. “So she’s gonna keep saying trans, trans, trans.”
Read more »
Rep. Mace Asks Rep. Crockett 'To Take It Outside' During Heated Trans Athlete DebateA contentious House Oversight Committee meeting saw Republican Rep. Nancy Mace challenge Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett to 'take it outside' after a heated exchange over a bill banning transgender athletes from women's sports. The argument stemmed from the House's vote to pass the 'Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,' which would prohibit schools receiving federal funding from allowing transgender girls and women to compete on women's teams.
Read more »
Rep. Mace asks Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett to 'take it outside' in heated exchangeRepublican Rep. Nancy Mace was angered by Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett calling her 'child' during a House Oversight Committee meeting.
Read more »
Rep. Jasmine Crockett Criticizes Musk's Access to Treasury DataIn a CNN interview, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) condemned the Trump administration's actions to weaken DEI policies and criticized Elon Musk's appointment as a special government employee with access to sensitive Treasury Department data. Crockett argues that Musk's position exceeds the scope of his role and raises concerns about potential misuse of power.
Read more »
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett Rips Elon Musk, Says DOGE Is IllegalU.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is ripping Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency ... she says he needs a lesson in how the federal government is supposed to run.
Read more »