Torres Highlights Federal Aviation Administration Safety and Staffing Crisis During FY26 Budget Hearing
Videos of hearing can be found here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35), whose district includes Ontario International Airport (ONT), pressed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau during the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) FY26 budget oversight hearing. Torres raised urgent concerns about ongoing aviation safety lapses, chronic staffing shortages, and recent personnel cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk, that threaten the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system — and put local travelers and workers at risk.
“Ontario International is one of the fastest-growing airports in the country and a vital economic hub for the Inland Empire and beyond,” said Congresswoman Torres. “Our airspace depends on vigilance, coordination, and a skilled workforce. But with air traffic controllers overworked, oversight slipping, and DOGE gutting critical FAA personnel, we’re gambling with lives. We can’t wait for another tragedy to act. The FAA must confront these vulnerabilities now—or risk unraveling the safest aviation system in the world.”
Torres cited a troubling rise in near-miss incidents and recent ground collisions, underscoring the urgent need for effective safety oversight and fully staffed operations at airports like ONT. She questioned whether the FAA is doing enough to monitor controller fatigue and stabilize the workforce amid mass retirements and a historically thin staffing pipeline—extending beyond controllers to include engineers, maintenance crews, and other essential personnel responsible for operating and maintaining critical safety infrastructure.
During questioning, Torres demanded clear answers on whether FAA controllers at major airports are working excessive hours, if fatigue risk assessments have been conducted, and whether workforce cuts driven by DOGE would compromise safety.
She also pressed the FAA to provide a comprehensive workforce recovery plan prioritizing recruitment, retention, training, and wellness support for frontline personnel — critical to handling ONT’s expanding air traffic and maintaining public confidence in air travel.
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