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Politico
17-03-2025
- Business
- Politico
RIF uncertainty reigns
Presented by With help from Chris Marquette and Oriana Pawlyk Quick Fix — The beleaguered federal workforce, including at DOT, is bracing for wide-scale layoffs — and what will happen next with probationary workers a court ordered be rehired is unclear. — The Justice Department got another four weeks to continue talks with Boeing over a plea agreement tied to the 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019. — The FAA offered (some) clarity on how it is using artificial intelligence to identify aviation risks in the wake of January's regional jet-Black Hawk disaster. IT'S MONDAY: You're reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We're glad you're here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at sogozalek@ Chris at cmarquette@ and Oriana at opawlyk@ and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214. 'A subway train thunders through the Bronx/ A taxi horn on the corner honks/ But I adore every roar/ And what more do I need?' Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the day WHAT'S NEXT?: There's a growing sense of whiplash and uncertainty across the federal workforce — with DOT being no exception — as employees hunker down for the Trump administration's boldest attempt yet to slash its head count: massive reduction-in-force orders, which will be reviewed at the White House. — To recap, after an initial wave of firings of probationary workers, who have fewer job protections, agencies are now planning wide-scale layoffs, known as RIFs. Your MT team has documented how employees at DOT who helped make sure travelers are safe got swept up in the earlier mid-February purge — and this raises questions about exactly what similar functions may be the next target? — Asked for the agency's RIF plan, or whether it had been finalized, a DOT spokesperson last week gave a statement to your MT host that didn't really answer the questions. They instead noted that DOT is working with Elon Musk and his cost-cutters to ax 'waste, fraud, and abuse' while also 'investing in our core mission of safety, finding new efficiencies, and unleashing a wave of innovation.' AND THEN THERE'S THE COURTS: Adding to the confusion is the rapid-fire decisions last week from two federal judges who reversed the administration's culling of scores of probationary workers. One of them, Judge James Bredar of Maryland, ordered DOT and over a dozen other agencies to reinstate the fired employees before 1 p.m. today. Bredar also directed officials to file court papers showing how they've complied with his decision — such as the number of workers brought back 'to the greatest degree of granularity practicable.' (His order expires on March 27, but the Democratic state attorneys general who brought the case can argue for an extension.) — Your MT team on Friday had yet to hear of any fired workers returning to DOT. The Justice Department quickly appealed both rulings, only further muddying the situation. — The looming RIFs, meanwhile, raise the prospect of employees being rehired only to be quickly laid off. Aviation KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD: The DOJ on Friday again asked for more time to decide what to do with the Boeing plea agreement related to the 737 MAX 8 crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. In a joint filing, the agency and the planemaker sought an additional four weeks so they could keep hashing out the issue. (They want to file another status report by April 11.) — 'The parties have not reached agreement but continue to work in good faith toward that end, to include the briefing of new Department leadership,' the court papers read. — Judge Reed O'Connor, presiding over the case in the Northern District of Texas, swiftly granted the extension Friday. A BIT MORE CLARITY: Duffy last week touted how the FAA is deploying artificial intelligence to identify any 'hot spots' at U.S. airports where helicopters and planes fly close to one another, like at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The agency on Friday drilled down into (some) of the specifics: — The FAA said it is 'using machine learning and language modeling to scan incident reports and mine multiple data sources to find themes and areas of risk.' The agency added that it is assessing eight cities with charted helicopter routes: Boston, New York, the Baltimore-D.C. area, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles, as well as the Gulf Coast, including offshore operations. Regulators said they will issue corrective action plans if they identify any issues. YES, WE'RE DOING IT: The FAA confirmed Friday that it's permanently restricting certain helicopter traffic around Reagan National after the NTSB issued an urgent recommendation to do so while it continues to probe January's air disaster. — One new nugget: The FAA said it will limit the use of visual separation to certain Coast Guard, Marine and Park Police helicopter operations outside of the restricted airspace. — The FAA added that if helicopters must fly through what's known as the Route 4 area for an urgent reason, like medical treatment or presidential transport, the agency will 'keep them specific distances away from airplanes.' WHAT TRUMP WANTS: During a Fox News interview aired Friday, Duffy said DOT and the FAA are not yet ready to allow Boeing to increase its production cap of 38 737 MAX per month, which regulators imposed after last year's door plug blowout. But he added that, when it comes to Trump, who is miffed at Boeing's Air Force One delays, the president 'wants us to not be too restrictive. He wants us to be smart and loosen up' the limitations on Boeing's production 'when it's appropriate.' SLIGHT UPTICK: DOT said Friday that airlines logged a cancellation rate of 1.4 percent last year — a small increase from 1.3 percent in 2023. — They also reported 437 tarmac delays lasting more than three hours on domestic flights in 2024, a roughly 51 percent increase compared to the year prior. APPROPRIATIONS A REPUBLICAN VICTORY: The Senate passed a House-GOP written spending bill, 54-46, almost entirely along party lines Friday after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer decided it wasn't worth risking a shutdown, enraging his party's progressive flank, Katherine Tully-McManus reports. The nearly seven-month stopgap, which Trump signed Saturday and runs through Sept. 30, includes: — A provision that extends existing DOJ and DHS counter-drone authorities until the end of the fiscal year. — A roughly $15.8 million rescission for operations and support at the Transportation Security Administration. Automobiles EYEING ABUSE POTENTIAL: Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) are introducing a bill today that would set up a process in which domestic violence and sexual assault survivors can request that internet-connected vehicle manufacturers disable an abuser's access to such technology. Automakers would have to publish information on their websites about how survivors can ask them to take action. The legislation would direct the FCC, in consultation with NHTSA, to conduct a rulemaking. — As MT readers will know, during the fight over Massachusetts' 2020 right-to-repair ballot measure, the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, a group funded by automaker trade groups, warned that bad actors could hack into wireless vehicle data and expose sensitive geolocation markers that could reveal where people go and when. The Autobahn — 'Major air carriers challenge ruling on Biden airline fee rules.' Reuters. — 'Tesla warns it could face retaliatory tariffs.' Reuters. — 'Astronaut crew docks with space station to replace 'Butch and Suni.'' Reuters. — 'Conservatives' Tesla Rescue Mission Has Its Work Cut Out.' New York Times. — 'China Condemns Panama Canal Deal, Asserting a Right to Influence the Region.' New York Times. — 'BMW Expects $1.1 Billion Earnings Hit From Tariffs This Year.' Wall Street Journal. — 'Tesla Develops Cheaper Model Y in China to Battle Growing Competition.' Wall Street Journal. — 'Don't click on those road toll texts. Officials issue warnings about the smishing scam.' AP. — 'FAA proposes inspections for 'excessive gaps' in Boeing's 787.' Seattle Times. — 'Elon Reportedly Orders Government to Stop Feeding the Bomb-Sniffing Dogs.' Futurism. — 'FAA Has Taken Steps To Prevent and Mitigate Runway Incursions, but Work Remains To Improve Data Analytics and Implement Key Initiatives.' DOT Office of Inspector General.
Politico
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
A spending bill brawl or early recess?
Presented by American Public Transportation Association With help from Oriana Pawlyk Quick Fix — A possible government shutdown looms this week. Here's what House Republicans' funding patch would mean for DHS. — The agency said it will cancel the collective bargaining agreement that covers baggage screeners at the Transportation Security Administration. Prepare for a legal battle. — Marc Molinaro, the nominee to lead the Federal Transit Administration, pledged to stop consulting for Cornell University and a New York City private equity firm if he makes it through the Senate. IT'S MONDAY: You're reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We're glad you're here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at sogozalek@ Chris at cmarquette@ and Oriana at opawlyk@ and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214. 'Passed Alger Brook Road, I'm over the bridge/ A minute from home but I feel so far from it.' Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the Week IT'S A SHOWDOWN: House Republicans dropped their spending stopgap over the weekend as a potential government shutdown inches closer. With a deadline of midnight Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to hold a floor vote on the continuing resolution Tuesday evening. If he can muscle it through the chamber, GOP leaders are likely to cancel any further House votes this week and send members home early for the upcoming recess, which would pressure the Senate to not amend the bill, Meredith Lee Hill reports. President Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed the nearly seven-month funding patch, which would run through the end of fiscal 2025. WHAT'S IN THE CR? The stopgap would boost defense spending by about $6 billion, while non-defense funding would drop by roughly $13 billion. (Earmarks would be stripped in the package.) Meredith and Jennifer Scholtes have the story. Your MT host noticed these tidbits in the legislation: — The bill would extend existing counter-drone authorities for the Justice Department and DHS until late September. — The Transportation Security Administration would see a rescission of about $15.8 million for operations and support. Aviation COURT FIGHT LIKELY: DHS announced Friday that it plans to terminate the collective bargaining agreement that covers about 45,000 workers at TSA, including baggage scanners, Nick Niedzwiadek and Oriana report. The move is expected to draw a lawsuit. — The agency confirmed that it will immediately stop using its payroll system to collect union dues, and in a statement argued that the decision will 'strengthen workforce agility.' The American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing screeners, said the action disregards workers' rights and in a statement called it 'clearly retaliatory' for the organization's recent lawsuits against the Trump administration. SEEKING DETAILS: A group of almost 50 House Democrats, including Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Transportation Committee, wrote to acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau on Friday seeking clarity on whether the agency plans to cancel a $2.4 billion Verizon contract to upgrade an air traffic control communications system and award the work to Elon Musk's Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX. They asked for a response no later than Friday. (SpaceX has denied reports that Starlink could fully take over the contract.) CANTWELL DRILLS DOWN: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Commerce Committee, sent a letter Friday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting information on how many military helicopters in the Washington region operate without ADS-B Out transmitting. (The technology broadcasts various details about an aircraft.) As MT readers will know, this has become a key issue for lawmakers in the wake of the regional jet-Black Hawk crash above the Potomac River. MAKING THE ROUNDS: Duffy will be in Seattle on Thursday to tour Boeing and learn more about the company's processes and engineering, according to a DOT spokesperson. Reminder: Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg will appear before lawmakers in early April for a Commerce Committee hearing on what the planemaker has been doing to address safety and production issues. NEW REVIEW: The FAA said Friday it will launch a safety-risk analysis of 'close encounters' between pilots flying visually and those under air traffic control. The action follows a meeting last week involving more than two dozen agency, industry and labor leaders. The FAA also plans to boost outreach about radio communication phrases and Notice to Airmen alerts around busy airports. And the agency said it will explore 'additional tools for pilots to assess operational risk and their own performance.' Ethics STEPPING ASIDE: Marc Molinaro, Trump's pick to head the Federal Transit Administration, says he will stop consulting for Cornell University and a New York City private equity firm focused on the aerospace and maritime industries, among other sectors, if he makes it through the Senate, according to his ethics agreement released Friday. Molinaro also pledges to not participate 'personally and substantially' in any matters involving the college or the firm, J.F. Lehman & Company LLC, in the year after he resigns from his roles — unless he first gets government authorization to do so. — Molinaro in his financial disclosure, which was also published Friday, reported $75,000 and $4,000 in consulting fees from the company and the university, respectively. Cornell didn't respond to a request for clarification on what his work entailed. Molinaro, a former House Republican from New York who came up short in his reelection bid last year, also says he would stop consulting for other entities, too, such as Red Maverick Media, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, political consulting firm that touts its work as Sen. Susan Collins' (R-Maine) 2020 campaign mail vendor. On The Hill NOT AT THE FOREFRONT: Your MT host caught up with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Shelley Moore Capito ( who chair the Commerce Committee and Environment and Public Works Committee, respectively, to ask if they want to overturn any DOT regulations via a Congressional Review Act resolution: — Cruz: 'None that come to mind immediately,' he said. 'We're systematically assessing rules from every agency and seeing which ones are appropriate for the CRA.' — Capito: 'I mean, we are looking at it, but ... nothing comes to mind,' she said. HEADED TO THE FLOOR: The Senate appears poised to consider a motion Tuesday to invoke cloture on Steven Bradbury's nomination to be deputy DOT secretary — and his full floor vote is expected to come about two hours later. Bradbury, the agency's former general counsel and a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who contributed to Project 2025, is likely to be confirmed along party lines. BATTER UP: Molinaro, the FTA administrator nominee, may appear before the Senate Banking Committee the week of March 24 (after the upcoming recess), a person close to the process told Chris on Friday. Trucking TAKING CHARGE: DOT said Friday that Adrienne Camire, who was FHWA's chief counsel during the first Trump term, will be the FMCSA's acting administrator. Duffy in a statement praised Camire and said he has 'no doubt' that the agency will 'continue to make our roads safer and keep America moving under her leadership.' Chris has the details. At the Agencies DRESS FOR SUCCESS: Chris obtained a recent memo from DOT to employees outlining a new dress code pilot that applies to those working out of the agency's headquarters in Navy Yard. It's called 'Dress for Your Day.' (Workers like inspectors, who wear uniforms outside of the office, must have attire that aligns with safety regulations.) Your MT team wants to hear from you! What are your thoughts on the policy? Reach Chris via Signal at: (202) 417-4999. — The announcement follows remarks that Duffy made at a virtual town hall last month, during which he said he was exploring a 'more casual environment' when it comes to the dress code at headquarters. 'I like to wear a suit when I have to wear a suit, but I like to dress down when I can dress down,' he said. SO WHAT, EXACTLY, IS THE PILOT?: The policy is intended to give employees flexibility in how they dress based on their work activities. A few highlights that illustrate the idea: — Business casual: This is for office work outside of a formal meeting. Expect shirts, blouses, trousers, skirts and professional footwear. (At the town hall, Duffy said no to shorts or flip flops.) — Smart casual: I.e., 'less formal Fridays' — like when office hours change due to bad weather. In this case, you're free to rock dark or colored denim, polos, sweaters and casual (but still sleek) footwear. The Autobahn — 'The FAA's Troubles Are More Serious Than You Know.' Atlantic. — 'Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk.' New York Times. — 'Trump's Tariffs Could Help Tesla, by Hurting Its Rivals More.' New York Times. — 'Rage Against Elon Musk Turns Tesla Into a Target.' New York Times. — 'Teen with gun on plane disarmed and tackled by passengers.' Washington Post. — 'Wi-Fi From Musk's Starlink Is Now Coming to a United Airlines Airplane Near You.' Bloomberg. — 'Volkswagen to recall over 177,000 SUVs over loose engine cover, NHTSA says.' Reuters. — 'Nissan board to discuss potential CEO successors at March 11 meeting, sources say.' Reuters. — 'Pulitzer winner Gates retiring from Seattle Times.' Talking Biz News. — ''I don't trust a word of it': Federal workers deeply skeptical that Trump will rein in Musk.' POLITICO Pro. — 'Trucking, construction companies sue over California's diesel emissions rule.' POLITICO Pro.
