Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Condemning The Failures Of Donald Trump’s FAA And Demanding A Full Investigation Into Deteriorating Conditions At Newark Airport
Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor after calling on the Office of the Inspector General at the FAA to conduct a full investigation into recent delays and disruptions at Newark Airport. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
The closer you look at the troubles at Newark Airport, the more alarming the story gets. For months—especially over the past week or so—operations at Newark Airport have been mired by chaos, delays, and crippling system outages.
It was recently reported that on Monday, April 28th, air traffic controllers overseeing Newark lost all communications with planes in the air for up to 90 seconds—“unable to see, hear, or talk to them.”
That’s 90 seconds of a wholly filled-up sky of planes literally flying blind over one of America’s busiest airports. Thank God nothing happened, but we tempt fate if no changes are made. If during 90 seconds the system goes down and so many airplanes are flying so close to each other in a congested airport, that is really sounding a five-alarm fire.
What was the culprit of this blackout? It was a burnt copper wire that shut communications down. This is unacceptable. We can’t keep America’s planes safe in 2025 if we rely on copper wires and floppy disks. Our air traffic controllers and America’s travelers deserve far more. Copper wires, floppy disks, 2025? When it comes to safety, the FAA is way behind the eight ball.
Yesterday, I called on the Office of the Inspector General at the FAA to conduct a full investigation into the deteriorating conditions at Newark Airport—and to examine how we can prevent these problems from spreading to other airports around the country.
When Newark alone gets backed up, it affects other airports, because it's such a busy hub. But if this starts happening at other airports, our air travel is in real trouble, even more trouble than it is now.
Donald Trump’s FAA has failed spectacularly this year in showing the American people that the Trump administration is up to the task of keeping people safe. We need to get to the bottom as to why.
The public deserves some answers to some very important questions:
Why have the staffing shortages at Newark and other critical airports been allowed to continue?
What role have DOGE cuts played in aggravating the chaos?
What is the plan to fill the vacancies of critical leadership at the FAA? Some of the top positions are not filled because some of the people there, who are very capable, resigned in disgust at what the administration was trying to do to the FAA.
We have seen chaos throughout the Administration, and clearly it’s here at the FAA, an agency that cannot afford any chaos whatsoever because lives are at stake.
The longer the FAA and the Administration slow walk these troubles, the greater the risk of a true catastrophe.
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