Washington Briefing- 2024 - Fireside Chat with Sen. Tammy Duckworth

On Tuesday, February 6, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation, Operations, and Innovation, participated in a fireside chat with AASHTO President and Wisconsin DOT Secretary Craig Thompson. During this annual Washington Briefing, held in Washington DC, Duckworth spoke about her unexpected path to aviation during her time in ROTC. She also discussed several key provisions in the pending FAA reauthorization legislation, including quadrupling funding for aviation workforce development, protecting the 1,500-hour flight experience rule for new airline pilots, and providing funding for ground radar at airports. Duckworth emphasized the need to address the aviation safety crisis through FAA oversight of manufacturers, upgrading airport infrastructure, hiring more air traffic controllers, and ensuring properly trained and experienced pilots.