Latest news with #SenateCommitteeon
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's pick to lead FAA grilled by senators over air traffic control system, safety at Reagan National Airport
President Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration was grilled by senators Wednesday on critical safety-related issues, including the required hours needed for pilots, the outdated air traffic control system and the ongoing problems at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. At a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, senators raised questions about the current state of the country's aviation system to airline executive Bryan Bedford. The FAA administrator role has been filled by Chris Rocheleau on an interim basis since the departure of former Administrator Mike Whitaker on Inauguration Day. Top of the mind for senators was safety. If confirmed, Bedford would oversee the country's airspace system, which has dealt with several issues over the last six months, including fatal air travel incidents and an outdated air traffic control system that has experienced technology outages. 'The system that manages our skies is showing its age,' Bedford testified. 'The stresses of this antiquated system truly came into view as we all returned to the skies after Covid. Chronic understaffing, controller fatigue, outdated facilities and telecommunications technology has placed a significant strain on the men and women at the FAA, and it has absolutely frustrated travelers with excessive delays and cancellations and has caused the public to question whether it's truly safe to fly.' Senators pressed Bedford on major challenges facing the FAA as it grapples with repeat air traffic control systems failures at the approach control facility for Newark Liberty International Airport; aging air traffic control infrastructure nationwide; and a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers. In attendance at Wednesday's hearing were the parents of Sam Lilley, the first officer killed in the midair collision at Reagan National Airport in January that killed 67 people. Bedford said he met with the families that lost loved ones in the tragedy. The crash led to a ban on helicopter traffic on a four-mile stretch over the Potomac River. 'We need to shine a light on this,' Bedford said. 'Transparency is going to help us find permanent solutions.' Bedford reiterated his top priority 'will be public safety and restoring the public's confidence in flying.' With regard to the crash, Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, brought up legislation recently introduced involving ADS-B. Civilian and military aircraft use ADS-B, which helps an aircraft broadcast its location, altitude and other key factors while monitoring other aircraft around it. ADS-B Out broadcasts aircraft information, while ADS-B In allows aircraft to receive that information. 'ADS-B In can be a significant safety improvement for the visibility of traffic because it incorporates the traffic that's on the ground,' Bedford said. 'So, when we look at the alerting systems that we have and we're relying on, even when we're using surface radars, it still requires the controller to be in the loop.' But the Army often turned it off while flying on missions in Washington. The NTSB previously confirmed the Army's Black Hawk helicopter involved in January's collision had the necessary equipment and was capable of transmitting, but investigators still do not know why it wasn't. A closed-door roundtable is expected later Wednesday among lawmakers regarding the safety troubles at Reagan National Airport. In May, some helicopter flights to the Pentagon were put on hold by the US Army pending an investigation after two planes at Reagan National Airport were forced to abort landings as a US Army Black Hawk helicopter approached the Pentagon nearby. Those Army helicopters were from the same unit as the one that crashed. At 4:15 p.m., the members of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation will meet with Brig. Braman, director of Army Aviation; Rocheleau and Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board. Bedford has long opposed a requirement for new pilots at commercial air carriers to obtain 1,500 flight hours, which many senators brought up during Wednesday's hearing. The rule was created after the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York, which left 50 people dead. The NTSB found pilot error was to blame. His opposition to the rule dates as far back as 2014, when he testified at a hearing for the House Subcommittee on Aviation. He called the rule 'a largely inflexible and arbitrary' in his opening remarks. The rule left regional air carriers such as Republic Airways in a pilot shortage at the time. The families of those killed in the 2009 crash expressed 'serious concerns' about Bedford's nomination, specifically citing his effort to circumvent the rule as CEO of Republic Airways. Bedford joined Republic in 1999 as president and CEO, according to the airline's website. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois and ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee said Bedford was 'leaving the door open' for changes to the FAA's required 1,500-flight-hour rule for first-time commercial airline pilots. 'I've asked you four questions on whether or not you will unilaterally reduce the 1,500-hour rule … at no point have you answered yes, so you are leaving the door open,' Duckworth said. Bedford did not outright say he was committing to maintaining the 1,500-hour rule, a pilot training requirement. During questioning, Bedford said reducing the flight hours was not his priority, stressing that he was more focused on 'fixing the air traffic control system.' 'There won't be safety loopholes, I commit to you,' Bedford said. 'We will never do anything to reduce the safety and competency of our pilots.' CNN's Pete Muntean asked Bedford after the hearing about the 1,500-hour rule, but he did not comment further. A top priority for the FAA is the dated air traffic control system. Paper strips and floppy discs — technology still used by controllers today — have become a talking point on Capitol Hill. The system, which has technology in use since the 1970s and '80s, has been in the spotlight recently because of at least four outages that occurred late this spring at Newark Liberty International Airport, where controllers lost sight of planes and technology went dark. Since then, Newark Airport has seen a number of fixes, but the FAA doesn't expect it to be back to normal until October. The FAA announced plans in May to replace core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to manage modern travel. Duffy has not yet disclosed how much the project would cost but is counting on Congress to deliver funding. 'I believe the agency can get back on the right track if we can all agree first that the air traffic control system needs significant investment,' Bedford said. The agency recently issued a Request for Information for a company to implement a 'brand new air traffic control system over the next three years.' It has identified five areas of interest for a new system: telecommunications, radio communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. It's unclear how this will impact Verizon's contract with the FAA to modernize the system. Verizon has a massive $2.4 billion contract to provide a long-sought upgrade to the FAA's communications system, known as the FAA Enterprise Network Services, or FENS, program. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, asked Bedford what ideas he had to address the air traffic control problems. 'I think one of the challenges have is a lack of trust,' Bedford said, echoing written remarks he submitted to senators ahead of the hearing. 'There's a lack of trust issues within the FAA and between the FAA and some of the stakeholders, and it's been explained to me why some of those issues there are, but we have to move past that. We will have to embrace transparency and accountability as we move forward this process.' CNN's Pete Muntean contributed to this report.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
President Trump repeals overland supersonic flight ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WNCT) — N.C. Senator Ted Budd, a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, applaud President Trump executive order to repeal the prohibition on overland supersonic flight. According to a press release, it would 'establish an interim noise-based certification standard, and repeal other regulations that hinder supersonic flight.' The executive order follows Senator Budd and Representative Troy Nehls introduction of the Supersonic Aviation Modernization (SAM) Act, which would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to issue regulations to legalize civil supersonic flight in the United States. President Trump's executive order directly aligns with the goals of this legislation. 'President Trump's swift leadership to unleash supersonic flight will boost America's ability to compete with China in the race for next-generation aircraft and revolutionize commercial air travel. For too long, outdated restrictions on civil supersonic flight have stifled innovation. I am grateful that President Trump has leaned in to legalize this vital technology in the United States and promote international engagement for international operations. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Washington, like my friend Rep. Nehls, to advance policies that unleash cutting-edge technologies like supersonic aviation,' said Senator Budd. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada Republican defends small landlords as Democrats push rent increase caps for seniors, fee disclosures
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Legislation that would cap rent increases at 5% for senior citizens sparked concern on Wednesday as the bill was discussed in the Nevada Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. Assembly Bill 280 (AB280) passed the Assembly on a 27-15 vote on April 22, and is now being considered in the Senate. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui, is likely to be vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo if it gets that far. The 5% cap on rent increases is set up as a pilot program running from July 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. Republicans came to the defense of small business operators — landlords who rent out their homes — who face more regulation because of the abuses of corporations that game the system to overcharge renters any way they can think up. There's little argument between Democrats and Republicans about stopping the practices that have come to light. But Republicans are adamant that new regulations shouldn't burden Nevadans who operate as small landlords. A large part of AB280 takes aim at hidden fees in massive lease agreements crafted by corporate landlords. The bill would require concise disclosure of all fees so that renters can easily see what they will actually be paying. 'There are two ways we see consumers impacted by fees,' according to Jonathan Norman of the Nevada Coalition of Legal Service Providers. 'I would just lump them into 'bogus fees' and 'deceptive fees.' A bogus fee would be a fee for something a landlord is already obligated to provide or shouldn't be charging for. 'A deceptive fee is when a landlord spreads the fees out throughout the lease. A fee on page 1, a fee on page 10, a fee on page 45, a fee on page 62, a fee on addendum 1, and so on,' Norman said. Norman offered a laundry list of the fees 'bogus fees' that have been reported: Air filter fees Smoke detector battery change fees Valet trash fees Unspecified 'amenity' fees TV remote control fees Mandatory cable/internet fees Fees for paying rent through an online portal Some fees are a few dollars, but they add up. Cable/internet fees can be over $100 per month, whether the tenant wants them or not. Corporate landlords are reaping big profits, according to Norman. Invitation Homes, a company that operates in Nevada, was sued by the Federal Trade Commission over some of these practices. Last year, a $48 million settlement was reached. Invitation owns about 3,000 homes in Clark County. 'According to the FTC complaint, just one of their fees, called a 'Lease Easy' fee alone generated $60 million for Invitation Homes between 2021 and 2023,' Norman said. 'We believe in fairness, and businesses should be prohibited from fleecing Nevadans with bogus or hidden fees,' he said. But there are a lot of players under the broad 'landlord' umbrella. 'There's two sides to every story, and this isn't it,' Republican State Sen. John Ellison said. Renter abuses during the pandemic and policies that protected them cost some small landlords everything, he said. 'I'm worried about the old people that have rentals that are losing everything they've got. And they're not the bad guys,' Ellison said. He said the fees Norman listed don't occur in mom-and-pop operations. They're just a problem for the bigger apartment complexes, he said. Norman emphasized the bill doesn't say you can't charge fees, but they must be disclosed fairly on one sheet of paper. John Sande of the Nevada State Apartment Association spoke in opposition to the bill's rent cap, calling it rent control. He said such measures might be effective in the short term, but carry a lot of implications that are bad for housing in the long run. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Senate holds hearing on daylight saving time — will the US ‘lock the clocks?'
(NEXSTAR) — The U.S. has had a back-and-forth relationship with daylight saving time, and another chapter unfolded on Thursday. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on Thursday — titled 'If I Could Turn Back Time: Should We Lock The Clock?' — to 'examine the various issues around whether the country should continue 'springing forward' and 'falling back' each year with time.' 'Congress has the authority to end this outdated and harmful practice. This hearing is an excellent opportunity to examine a thoughtful and rational approach to how we manage time. Whether we lock the clock on standard time year-round or daylight saving time, let's put our health, the economy, and well-being first and embrace a sensible approach to time management,' committee chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in his opening remarks. Daylight saving time 2025: These states are trying to 'lock the clocks' Witnesses who appeared during the hearing included representatives from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the National Golf Course Owners Association, and the Lock the Clock Movement — all of which have previously expressed interest in the changing of the clocks. You can watch the majority of Thursday's hearing in the video player at the top of this story. Companion bills to make daylight saving time permanent have been introduced in Congress, including one bill referred to Cruz's committee, while another bill would give states the power to observe daylight saving year-round — more on that in a moment. The U.S.'s back-and-forth relationship with daylight saving time has been ongoing for over a century. It started as a wartime measure in 1918, only to be rolled back after a year. It returned in 1942 during World War II but was vastly more chaotic than it is today. Seasonal clock changes were enacted in 1966, but seven years later, the U.S. again observed year-round daylight saving time due to a national energy crisis. What would change if daylight saving time became permanent? Americans broadly supported the practice at first, until dark winter mornings prompted safety concerns, especially among parents. The nation returned to twice-a-year clock changes in 1974 and has largely stayed on the same schedule. Over the last several years, there have been efforts to put the U.S. back on permanent daylight saving time, a move with which many health experts disagree. They instead recommend permanent standard time, which would provide us more sunlight in the mornings — a factor that can positively impact our sleep and circadian rhythm, which have further been connected to other health outcomes. States that have proposed or enacted legislation targeting the changing of the clocks have generally split between locking them on permanent standard time or daylight saving time. Only two states observe year-round standard time, an option afforded them by Congress' 1966 Uniform Time Act. States cannot opt for permanent daylight saving time. In most cases, the states standing on that side of the clock have introduced or passed measures calling on Congress to enact permanent daylight saving time or outlining conditions in which the state would observe daylight saving time permanently (typically based on actions by Congress or neighboring states). A House bill to give states the power to observe daylight saving time all year has been introduced and referred to committee. What if we didn't 'spring forward' when daylight saving time begins? Multiple other states, however, have seen legislation introduced during their current legislative session to put the state on permanent standard time or exempt it from daylight saving time. None have passed as of early April. Any current widespread action regarding daylight saving time would depend on Congress taking action. President Donald Trump previously expressed support for ending daylight saving time but signaled in March that he would not push for it, calling it 'a 50/50 issue.' 'It's a 50/50 issue, and if something is a 50/50 issue, it's hard to get excited about it,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'It's something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way. A lot of people like it the other way. It's very even. And usually, I find when that's the case, what else do we have to do?' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Senate hearing on daylight saving time set: Could the US ‘lock the clocks?'
(NEXSTAR) — Roughly a month ago, most Americans lost an hour of precious Sunday sleep as daylight saving time began and our clocks jumped forward. The U.S. again could be on the precipice of ending what some call an 'antiquated tradition.' The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is scheduled to hold a hearing — titled 'If I Could Turn Back Time: Should We Lock The Clock?' — on Thursday to 'examine the various issues around whether the country should continue 'springing forward' and 'falling back' each year with time.' 'The antiquated tradition of changing our clocks has a very real impact on Americans' businesses, health, and happiness, particularly for parents of young children,' committee chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in a statement. 'People on both sides of the aisle have supported previous legislative efforts to 'lock the clock,' and understanding the implications of the time change is a priority for me as Chairman. I'm looking forward to a thoughtful discussion on the benefits and challenges to sticking with one national method for keeping time.' Daylight saving time 2025: These states are trying to 'lock the clocks' Witnesses scheduled to appear during the hearing include representatives from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the National Golf Course Owners Association, and the Lock the Clock Movement — all of which have previously expressed interest in the changing of the clocks. While this is a hearing and not the signing of a bill, it could be a sign that Congress may take action on daylight saving time-related legislation. Companion bills to make daylight saving time permanent have been introduced in Congress, including one bill referred to Cruz's committee, while another bill would give states the power to observe daylight saving year-round — more on that in a moment. The U.S. has had a back-and-forth relationship with daylight saving time for over a century. It started as a wartime measure in 1918, only to be rolled back after a year. It returned in 1942 during World War II but was vastly more chaotic than it is today. Seasonal clock changes were enacted in 1966, but seven years later, the U.S. again observed year-round daylight saving time due to a national energy crisis. What if we didn't 'spring forward' for daylight saving time? Americans broadly supported the practice at first, until dark winter mornings prompted safety concerns, especially among parents. The nation returned to twice-a-year clock changes in 1974 and has largely stayed on the same schedule. Over the last several years, there have been numerous efforts to put the U.S. back on permanent daylight saving time, a move with which many health experts disagree. They instead recommend permanent standard time, which would provide us more sunlight in the mornings — a factor that can positively impact our sleep and circadian rhythm, which have further been connected to other health outcomes. States that have proposed or enacted legislation targeting the changing of the clocks have generally split between locking them on permanent standard time or daylight saving time. Only two states observe year-round standard time, an option afforded them by Congress' 1966 Uniform Time Act. States cannot opt for permanent daylight saving time. In most cases, the states standing on that side of the clock have introduced or passed measures calling on Congress to enact permanent daylight saving time or outlining conditions in which the state would observe daylight saving time permanently (typically based on actions by Congress or neighboring states). What would change if daylight saving time became permanent? A House bill to give states the power to observe daylight saving time all year has been introduced and referred to committee. Multiple other states, however, have seen legislation introduced during their current legislative session to put the state on permanent standard time or exempt it from daylight saving time. None have passed as of early April. Any current widespread action regarding daylight saving time would depend on Congress taking action. President Donald Trump previously expressed support for ending daylight saving time but signaled in March that he would not push for it, calling it 'a 50/50 issue.' 'It's a 50/50 issue, and if something is a 50/50 issue, it's hard to get excited about it,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'It's something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way. A lot of people like it the other way. It's very even. And usually, I find when that's the case, what else do we have to do?' The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on daylight saving time is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
