Latest news with #jet-BlackHawk
Politico
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Gearing up for NTSB's marathon Reagan National crash hearing
Presented by The Association of American Railroads QUICK FIX — Federal accident investigators will hold a three-day hearing this week to examine January's regional jet-Black Hawk disaster. We break down the unanswered questions. — DOT this spring was planning to carry out major layoffs at a slew of its subagencies, including the FHWA, FRA and NHTSA — but not at the FAA, a court filing shows. — Senate appropriators want to bar DOT from using their spending bill to close field offices across the U.S. 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@ Oriana at opawlyk@ and Pavan at pacharya@ and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_, @Oriana0214 and @pavanmacharya. 'Parked beside the ocean/ On our moonlight drive.' Editor's Note: 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 SEARCHING FOR CLUES: Since January's midair catastrophe in Washington, questions have mounted over how things went so terribly wrong above the Potomac River, where a collision killed 67 people. The general contours of what went awry have been evident for some time — but more details could be added when the NTSB meets this week for a three-day public investigative hearing on the accident. (No probable cause will be determined — yet.). WHAT'S UNANSWERED?: Though it's clear that at least one of the aircraft was in the wrong place at the wrong time, other specifics about just what happened remain vague. Oriana, who will be at the hearing with Pavan, put together a list of some of the biggest outstanding questions on her radar: — Was an advanced transmitting technology that gives air traffic controllers insight into an aircraft's speed and location indeed turned off by the crew piloting the Black Hawk, or was the device just not operational? (Investigators so far have only said it wasn't on.) — Recovered cockpit recording data from the helicopter has indicated that some of the radio transmission from controllers at Reagan National to the crew had been cut off or interrupted somehow, suggesting that the Black Hawk may not have heard certain directions in-flight. How could that happen? — There have also been discrepancies related to the reported final altitude of the Black Hawk before it collided with the jet. Have investigators confirmed just how high it was flying? — We'll also be listening for any more details about the way the Army conducts its helicopter operations in the region — including how many flights are done around the airport, how the necessity of those is determined and anything the military is doing to mitigate related problems. At the Agencies SOME DETAILS DISCLOSED: DOT this spring took initial steps to conduct reductions in force, or RIFs, at the FHWA, FRA, NHTSA, FTA, FMCSA, MARAD, PHMSA and Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., as well as the secretary's office, according to a court filing that your MT host found. (The FAA is not on the list, which maybe isn't surprising given the intense scrutiny of the aviation regulator since the Reagan National crash.) — The department submitted two requests in April to the Office of Personnel Management, both of which OPM approved later that same month, to get the office's sign-off on various procedural moves for carrying out RIFs, according to data attached to a declaration from Noah Peters, senior adviser to OPM Director Scott Kupor. — The court papers were filed as part of an ongoing lawsuit brought by unions against the Trump administration over its RIF effort. The case previously resulted in a weekslong pause of any mass layoffs, but the Supreme Court lifted that block earlier this month, allowing the RIFs to move forward. Peters noted that some agencies 'may have decided not to proceed with RIFs.' At this point, it's unclear what DOT plans to do when it comes to any mass layoffs. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has told reporters that the department is doing an 'ongoing assessment' of potential cuts, but added that 'we feel good' about current staffing levels. DOT didn't respond to questions Friday. APPROPRIATIONS DOGE-PROOFING?: Your MT host on Friday continued to dig through the Senate Appropriations Committee's fiscal 2026 spending bill, S. 2465, which the panel advanced last week in a 27-1 vote. He noticed this interesting tidbit: — The legislation includes language that would prohibit DOT from using the appropriations to open, close, redesignate as a lesser office or reorganize a regional, division or field office, unless it's required under the bill, the accompanying committee report about the legislation or part of the GOP's recent reconciliation package concerning air traffic control upgrades and consolidation. It further directs DOT to maintain its field offices as of late September of last year with 'sufficient staff to carry out all statutorily authorized activities.' (There's a similar caveat for this provision, too, related to the text of the spending bill and Republicans' megalaw.) WHAT PROMPTED THIS?: It wasn't immediately clear, but your MT host reported in May that DOGE's cost-cutting squad claimed to have ended more than two dozen DOT real estate leases for everyone from federal highway officials to trucking regulators across the U.S., creating upheaval and uncertainty. Chris later that month scooped that so many FHWA employees had opted into the Trump administration's so-called deferred resignation program that some of its state-level offices could no longer be viable, according to three people who work closely with such locations. Trade AGREEMENT ANNOUNCED: The U.S. and European Union struck a trade deal Sunday that includes a 15 percent baseline tariff on imports from the bloc — a rate that will apply to cars, Koen Verhelst and Myah Ward report. (Trump had previously threatened duties of 30 percent on the EU, and he imposed ones of 25 percent on foreign vehicle manufacturers in early April.) A WIN FOR AEROSPACE: Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, told reporters there will be no tariffs applied to aircraft and plane parts by both the U.S. and EU under the agreement. Airlines for America in a statement said this will 'grow jobs, strengthen our economic security and provide a framework for U.S. leadership in manufacturing and safety.' On The Hill SLEEPY SUMMERTIME, ALMOST: While the NTSB hearing will be full-steam ahead down in L'Enfant Plaza, things will be winding down on Capitol Hill this week as senators prepare to join their House counterparts on recess. The upper chamber's DOT spending bill isn't being teed up for floor action, which leaves just one event on the agenda related to transportation issues: — Wednesday: The Senate Commerce Committee will host a markup for six of President Donald Trump's nominees for high-ranking DOT roles: Jonathan Morrison for NHTSA administrator; Derek Barrs for FMCSA administrator; Paul Roberti for PHMSA administrator; Seval Oz for assistant secretary for research and technology; Michael Rutherford for assistant secretary for multimodal freight infrastructure and policy; and Gregory Zerzan for general counsel. Rail INTERESTING ...: Your MT host recently caught up with Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to ask about the Trump administration's move to ax around $4 billion in federal grant funds previously awarded to California's high-speed rail project. Schiff said he had spoken with Duffy before the FRA's recent decision, urging him to 'give [the initiative] an objective review, which he promised he would do. And that was the last I heard from him on the subject.' — This occurred months ago, Schiff said. He added that he thinks the pair talked over the phone. As MT readers will know, California has filed a federal lawsuit against the FRA over the issue. Transit ICYMI: DOT said Friday that recipients of FTA's Low or No Emission Grant Program, which is used for the purchase or lease of clean energy-powered buses, can submit a written request to the transit agency to change their projects from using 'no emissions' to 'low emissions' technology. Shifting Gears — The Alliance for Automotive Innovation has joined the Modern Analytics for Roadway Safety Coalition. The Autobahn — '2 Crew Members Are Hurt as Southwest Plane Plunges Abruptly After Takeoff.' New York Times. — 'Boeing Emerges as a Winner in Trump's Trade Wars.' New York Times. — 'Passengers evacuated from plane onto Denver runway after landing gear issue sparked fire and left 1 injured.' CNN. — 'Tim Lilley spent his life flying. Then his son died in a plane crash.' Washington Post. — 'Does D.C. have the worst traffic? Not so fast.' Washington Post. — 'Airlines Are Having a Bruising Year. Delta and United Are Doing Better.' Wall Street Journal. — 'Volkswagen Teases Made-in-America Audis, Porsches After $1.5 Billion Tariff Hit.' Wall Street Journal. — 'French authorities investigate if Jewish passengers were removed from flight due to religion.' AP. — 'Kia Reshapes US Sales Strategy, Cuts Incentives Over Tariffs.' Bloomberg. — 'US closes probe into Waymo self-driving collisions, unexpected behavior.' Reuters. — 'South Korea air crash: Inside the final minutes of Jeju Air flight.' Reuters. — 'Regulator: Tesla cannot offer autonomous California rides.' POLITICO Pro. On The Calendar — Nothing on our radar! Know of an event we should have on our calendar? Let MT know at transpocalendar@
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.
