Senators Want to Know if DOGE’s FAA Layoffs Will Make the Skies Less Safe

The Trump administration has argued that the FAA layoffs will not affect safety or recruiting. But some senators remain concerned about what effects it could have on the industry.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., the lead GOP negotiator on the Senate border and foreign aid package.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Everyone wants answers on whether it’s safe to fly — including senators.

The public is on edge over recent high-profile accidents, including the crash between a helicopter and a passenger flight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The cause of the deadly crash is still unknown, but lawmakers say it’s made clear that this is an area where safety needs to tighten up.

Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, which has one of the largest Federal Aviation Administration field facilities in the country, told NOTUS the FAA still needs more air traffic controllers because “as was highlighted three weeks ago in the crash, it’s incredibly important that people are there.”