hashtag -- faa shutdown. that was the last time we had an faa shutdown. that the senator from might not recognized senator today, but i would urge listening to the 2011 senator, who understand -- who understood shutting the faa down is bad for colorado. if you are -- don't hold the flying public hostage. mr. bennet: madam president, i thank the senator from texas. i'm sorry, i don't have a phone on my desk so nobody can send me my prior quotes or your prior quotes. i wish i had thought to do that. but i have a pretty good memory, and i just -- just so the facts on the floor. the facts are facts. when we were out here in 219 -- and by the way, i would never confuse, i should say, the senator from texas with senator schumer. so sleighs establish that at the -- so let's establish that at the outset. i know you're two different people. you're very different people. when i was out here in 2019, what i was talking about, i was reminding people of the shutdown you led in 2013 while colorado was under water. while there were cities and towns all over our state wh

in 2011 the last time the faa's authorization lapsed, more than 4,000 faa employees were furloughed, the faa lost more than $400 million. the two-week lapse halted billions of dollars worth of construction projects and impacted more than 70,000 construction jobs. leaving town without giving the faa the certainty to operate would be a mistake. i remain committed to working with senator cantwell to negotiate a truly bipartisan faa bill that the agency, the industry, and the flying public deserve. and with that i yield the floor to the senator from kansas. mr. moran: mr. president the presiding officer: the senator from kansas mr. moran: mr. president, i thank my colleague from texas, senator cruz. i appreciate his leadership. he is here to make the effort to see that we reauthorize on a temporary basis the faa. he's absolutely right. it has to be done before the end of the year. we're creating more uncertainty every day, every hour that we fail to do so. it is regrettable that the senator from texas is here to do that. it's almost a question in my mind when do we have an agreement that

of course, there are pilots who are skeptical of this new faa announcement, the faa special committee until the end of march to suggest new rules to the agency. >> pete, it strikes me that just yesterday, we were here talking about issues with the air traffic controllers. do we think some of these new rules, reconsideration of the rules might apply to them? >> pilots need to hold a medical certificate, so do air traffic controllers. they have been under tremendous stress lately, not only because of the severe understaffing, that the faa had had problems with in the air traffic control workforce, but also the fact that controllers are working overtime, in some cases, six-day weeks with 12 hour shifts. so of course, they need some mental health help here as well. because of that stress that is phasing them. so of course, hopefully, this can potentially lead to some new rules suggestions for them as well. >> yes, major implications for travel connected to this story. pete muntean, thank you so much for the reporting. still more news to come, on breaking news, justice department prosecuto

two months ago to prioritize safety and advance the faa. mike and i were in the tower here looking at one of the busiest and most complex operations in america. this one runway is the single busiest runway in the international airspace, they handle 850 and 950 takeoffs and landings this day, almost all and that one runway. seeing the men and women who make that possible, just a reminder of how incredible the work is that keeps our aviation system safe. we appreciate the work of everyone in the tower and across the national airspace for the job they do. i wanted to take a little time today to talk about air travel in terms of what americans need to know, and in terms of how the department of transportation and the faa are working to help airlines prevent delays and cancellations, and protect consumers and passengers. we may see some bad weather impacting travel around christmas and new year's. the faa is working closely with airlines to plan for that possibility. we get down to the minute weather predictions from national weather service met

safety is the faa's northstar, were proud of the fact that no faa license launch reentry operationy is resulted in a totality or injury to the member of the public will cause significant public propertysi damage. in recent years we witness the pace and growth of commercial launch of reentry operation and increase significantly along with increasing demand for my offices, licensing product and safety services. looking forward in order to maintain safety while keeping pace with industry, we will remain rely on the incredible work of a fully staffed to the commercial transfer stationed team. i'm happy to mention our total staff sizee to 147 with 33 new staff members last fiscal year. my office also remains extremely focused on implementation of the streamlined launched and reentry regulation par 450 which is performance-based and allows for the obtaining of a single license or portfolio of operation for multiple sites. to facilitate industry to par 415 we provided an assortment50f a's of license applications advisory circulars as well as tutorials and workshops. i remainl very confident t

safety is the faa north star, and we're proud of the fact that no faa licensed launch f reentry operationresulted in a fidelity or injury to a member of t public, or cause significant publ property damage. in recent years we have witnessed the pace and gwth of u.s. commercial launch reent operations incased significantly, along with a commensurate increase in demand for my office is licensing products and safy services. looking forward, in order to maintain safety while keeping pace with iustry, we will remain reliant on the iredible work of a fully staffed office of commercial space transportation team. im happy to mention that with caucuses support we raise our tol staff size to 147 withhe addition of 33 new staff numbe -- congress' support. my office also remains strongly focused onmplementation of the streamlinedaunch an reery regulation, part 450,hich which is performance-based a allows for the obtaining of a single license or portfolio of erations from multiple sit to facilitate interstate transportation to part 450 reported to industry an assortment of aids including license applit

as a private pilot he feared seeking help would lead to losing his faa medical certification required flying alone, howser took his own life by crashing this plane in 2021. >> john did not have a history of depression. >> reporter: in a letter. >> describing what john was silently facing he wrote i want to seek help more than anything. i know if i try i'd have to give up on aviation. i'd rather not be here than do that. >> reporter: disclosing those issues can lead to a pilot being grounded by the faa. this man grounded himself a year ago to get help. he is now taking an faa medication and it could be a year before allowed to fly again as he's spending thousands out-of-pocket on faa regulations to get back to work. >> had the barriers not been there i would have out treatment again. >> reporter: more man 56% of u.s. pilots seeking medical treatment. >> if you want to fly you can't admit anything is wrong. >> reporter: off-duty alaska airlines captain emerson pleaded not guilty thursday to dozens of charges including 83 counts of reckless endangerment. he attempted to turn off the engi

because of the faa's work, every u.s.licensed launch or reentry operation from space force has met without accepting the highest levels of safety, despite the obviously unforgiving nature of the space environment. we introduced a bipartisan space port act of a infrastructure needs at just space force such as call about aerospace port. how does the fa sport infrastructure needs of emerging space force around the country to continue with licensing along with prioritizing safety? >> thank you for the question, senator hickenlooper. in 2018 as result result of the reauthorization act for the faa, we did stand up an office of space force which supports the infrastructure needs of our 14 license space force in the u.s. pirg we work very closely with those space force to address policy concerns, funding concern, other issues that are of interest to the space port. we work very closely with that in that regard. we also have authorization for a space port and for such a matching grant program if you will. we have that authority fo

faa administrator mike whitaker told the faa exclusively, this is a tough lifestyle. the panel intends to identify risks of the job. >> coming into this job you need understand that risk. this team of experts is there to give me an assessment about that risk means. if they come back and say, this is fine. hire more controllers overtime. that is where we will be. if they identify an immediate risk that is something we will respond. to >> the union that represents this work forth tells me in a statement that the answer to prolong control of it he gives a long term commitment to hiring in training of air traffic controllers. hire more air traffic controllers, that would make them less fatigued. that is what the union says. something the faa administrator says they would be opening up the hiring period coming the spring to the general public. we could see more controllers entering the workforce. >> people who are traveling are not think about this, right? >> i think so, as well! >> they talk about. according to aaa, 7 million people expected to fly in these ten days betwe

faa is working closely with airlines to plan for the possibility. we have down to the minute weather predictions we use those to inform exact arrival and departure routes across the busiest parts of u.s. airspace. if you are concerned about whether affecting your travel plans, contact your airline for the most up-to-date information about your flight. i want to zoom out and talk about the last three years. when president biden took office about three years ago -- office about three years ago, the biggest concert at the time around the nation airlines was whether they would be able to stay in business. and at the time we were thinking about how many years or decades it would take for the u.s. aviation sector to recover. instead, , what happened was tht the entire economy including the aviation sector recovered swiftly during the biden economic recovery which of course includes demand coming back faster than most forecasters have thought possible which led to the opposite problem. airlines struggling to keep up with demand leading to a number of disru

faa is working closely with air elinesst to plan for that possibility. we get down to the minutewet predictions from national weather service meteorologists and use those to inform exact arrival and departure routes across the busiest parts of the u.s. air pace. so if -- air space. so if you arehe concerned about weather affectingng your travel plans, please remember to check directly withpl your airline for the most up-to-date information about your m flight. now i want to zoom out and talk a little bit about the last three years, because i think it bears repeating that when president biden took office about three years ago, the biggest concern at the time around the nation's airlines was whether they would be able to stay in business. and and at the time we were thinking about how many years or decades it would take for the u.s. aviation sector to recover. instead what happened was that the entire exhibitioner including the air aviation sector, recovered swiftly during the biden economic recovery which of course included demand ifif coming back faster

i was with the faa for 17 years and since then working in the safety improvement programs.e're just trying to make things better. this transition from prescriptive into a performance-based system is where the key is here. i think we're going to get there. there's some new science out now. >> i want to turn to another story quickly. the company reliable robotics said it recently flew a cargo plane without a single human on board. the company says it is working with the faa to certify the technology for commercial operations. do you see that as something that is scaleable to reach the general population? >> absolutely i do. it's a change in an era of historical thought about how we fly. it's not going to be on commercial airplanes with passengers, i don't think, for at least another eight to ten years. however, cargo planes are very close. within a couple of years, i fully expect to see airplanes without pilots delivering packages. reliable robotics has really made some advancements there. i'm excited about it. i think that's going to change a lot of how we deliver packages,

be recommended by faa. federal funds are available for project on the airfield land acquisition construct of runways, taxiways and aprons. and the installation of lighting and navigation aids. to counter airport. illinois is an excellent example of this federal and local partnership at work. as early as 1931 to page was the home airport, a business aircraft for oil companies, pipelines and companies. in the fifties, with federal assistance, the airport was expanded and in a relatively few years, the number of based aircraft rose to 440. the page is a logical facility to relieve chicago's busy o'hare airport. but in order to keep pace the airport is now planning for additional expansion. by 1990, it is estimated that the page will handle more than half a million plane movements a year, twice the present rate. often of, course, it doesn't take a new airport. rather, the community development can be enhanced by improving existing airport. the bartow municipal airport serving bartow and winter haven, florida wa

get the faa to change their rules on pilots seeking mental health. it would change a lot of things for the better and help a lot of people out. love you. john. >> reporter: the bottom line here, never before has this issue been talked about so openly. now the ball is in the court of regulators. the ntsb could put forth official recommendations but it is on the faa to make any changes. pete muntean, cnn, washington. >> pete, thank you. and joseph emerson has pleaded not guilty to 83 counts of reckless endangerment. >>> america's gave delivers an instant classic. the army-navy game came down to the final seconds. which team came away with a win. >>> the 124th edition of america's game was fln all time classic. the army-navy football game going down to the wire. >> army's defense held the line. coy wire was there. >> what is up. welcome to gillette stadium, home of the six time super bowl champion new england patriots. this army navy gave was historic with the 124th iteration in new england for the first time ever, the birthplace of the u.s. army and na

and that's the faa's goal. so i think southwest got the message especially with the record fine that was imposed by the government, not to the passengers convenience. >> before we go, something really cool i want to talk to our about and show the viewers. one of the world' most widely used cargo planes completed an entire flight, there was no one onboard. no pilot onboard. there was a pilot remotely controlling the aircraft, it flew, i think, 50 miles. that's 12 minutes total. is this the future of air travel? one sw a remote control? >> well, actually, remember the military's been doing this for years. you know, with their drones. and china has certified pilotless aircraft. and so, yes, generally, the industry says this is the future, although about three-fourths of americans say they do not want to fly on a pilotless plane. >> this is being looked at for certification for cargo. other countries, including germany, are very much looking at it, especially for city hopper service and vertical takeoff and landing

the new faa study will focus on sleep patterns and fatigue with considerations to be applied to works and scheduling. the panel chair is a former ntsb safety expert and also includes experts on fatigue and sleep from nasa and harvard. but the group won't convene until next month. so for now, amid the busiest travel period of the year. >> the new head of the faa admits that ongoing staffing issues may lead to delays if there is a. >> a shortage of air traffic controllers, we would reduce traffic to ac ommodate and make sure that everyone is traveling safely. having said that, we haven't had to do that other than on the east coast in the system. generally in a statement, the national air traffic controllers union expressed interest to collaborate with this new panel. >> which is expected to report back to the faa in february. but the union says the fundamental problem remains a shortage of certified staff. >> all right. still out on the profit warning news forty-niners get ready for the match up against the ravens on christmas day will be right in order for small businesses to thrive,

so the faa is turning to sleep experts to identify ways to address fatigue over the past year.e than 300 near miss collisions amid a constant staffing challenge. an air traffic control centers nationwide. >> incidents have been linked to sleep deprived controllers working mandatory overtime or 6 days a week despite a concerted effort to train and add new controllers. it's been a persistent challenge to fill positions due to retirements. the new faa study will focus on sleep patterns and fatigue with considerations to be applied to work requirements and scheduling. the panel chair is a former ntsb safety expert and also includes experts on fatigue and sleep from nasa and harvard. but the group won't convene until next month. so for now, amid the busiest travel period of the year, the new head of the faa admits that ongoing staffing issues may lead to delays if there is a. >> a shortage of air traffic controllers, we would reduce traffic to accommodate and make sure that everyone is traveling safely. having said that, we haven't had to do that other than on the east coast in the

we build on the success of the bil by enacting a strong faa reauthorization. this house passed hr 30 9:30 five security growth and robust leadership of the american aviation act in july by strong bipartisan vote too. came out of this committee 63 nothing. bipartisan effort in good faith to secure the future of the aviation system. it will help advance american leadership aviation system and innovation, strengthen workforce improve consumer protections and accessibility. background break investments in sustainability and resiliency. i am sure dot is eager to see the bill enacted you can begin implementing it as well but i urge the senate to act as soon as possible so we can complete a final long-term reauthorization and communities the traveling public with the benefits. aviation's are the only mode rail incidents and accidents continue to occur around the country. endangering people and communities. as more than 500 train accidents in this committees not yet held a real safety committee urge that you may take a long overdue action on real safety. we are expect

the faa doesn't typically start delaying flights until 8:00 or 9 a.m. transportation secretary held a news conference today to discuss the holiday travel season as a whole. cancellations were inevitable but he was cautiously optimistic that all would still go smooth. >> winter weather will be a challenge in the next few weeks. even during the busiest days of thanksgiving travel cancellations stayed below 1%. so far, i don't want to jinx us, but 2023 has seen the lowest cancellation rate in the last five years. >> the faa went on to say they've open 169 additional east coast reits to accommodate more traffic this year. >> the charges are just not enough. that's the reaction from the wife of a security guard who was protecting a tv news crew in oakland when he was killed. the two men accused are no longer facing life in prison without parole. the d.a. decided to reduce the charges on the first day of the trial and that is not sitting well with the wife. >> it's hard to see them. to know that kevin was killed by them. >> as the trial begins in the murder o

the faa mandates pilots reportedly mental health issue, but the risk losing their ability to fly. some pilots lie to fly, although they could face five years in prison and a quarter million dollars in fines. >> pilots are suffering in silence. that does not make the system safer. it makes it less safe. >> first officer troy mary said he decided to grant himself a year ago for anxiety and depression, faced with the possibility of not being able to fly again. >> the barriers in place today, having not been there i would sought treatment earlier and avoided some of the more painful moments in my life. >> reporter: on the eve of the meeting the faa announced a new committee that could suggest ways to break down any remaining barriers that discourage pilots from reporting and seeking care for mental health issues. >> it is fair to say the approach that we have is a bit out of date. >> reporter: the parents of john hauser had no idea their son was depressed until the student pilot crashed and left a letter. >> if there is anything that you can do for me, get the faa to change the rules

the faa is working closely with airlines. we get down to the minute weather predictions from meteorologist and use those, so if you are concerned about whether affecting your travel plans, remember to check that your up-to-date information. i want to zoom out and talk about the last three years she says feeding that when president biden took office about three years ago, the biggest concern at the time was whether they would be able to state and business. the entire economy recovered swiftly. demand coming back which led to the opposite problem. we remember about one year ago around christmas when southwest cancelled 127000 -- 17000 flights. at the time i made clear and since that timoe we have engaged to determine whwat they were doing. the investigation is complete and we announced southwest will pay $140 million. on top of the $35 million, we are requiring southwest to the local -- deliver future flights. these steps are designed to send a message to the airline sectors that we will hold to a portable. we take our responsi

acknowledge there are staffing issues, something the faa says it is working to fix with so many livest stake. jesse kirsch, nbc news >>> we're back in a moment with close-encounters up north with polar bears and why police cars like this one are chasing them now more than ever >>> now to our climate challenge series and a growing problem in the polar bear capital of the world. a polar bear invasion is overrunning a small town very far north in canada because there isn't enough ice in their natural habitat. anne thompson went there to see it for herself >> reporter: polar bears draw tourists to tiny churchill, canada here where the forest stops and the tundra starts they come to see the bears make their annual track to hudson bay sea ice to feed on seals. want to know how close you can get? take a look. we're about 12 feet from this polar bear >> reporter: fine from a protected buggy, but dangerous -- >> a bear in our house >> a bear in our backyard. >> reporter: when hungry bears come to town and when they are spotted, conservation sergeant ian van ness gets the call. >> and we're goi

hashtag -- faa shutdown. that was the last time we had an faa shutdown. that the senator from might not recognized senator today, but i would urge listening to the 2011 senator, who understand -- who understood shutting the faa down is bad for colorado. if you are -- don't hold the flying public hostage. mr. bennet: madam president, i thank the senator from texas. i'm sorry, i don't have a phone on my desk so nobody can send me my prior quotes or your prior quotes. i wish i had thought to do that. but i have a pretty good memory, and i just -- just so the facts on the floor. the facts are facts. when we were out here in 219 -- and by the way, i would never confuse, i should say, the senator from texas with senator schumer. so sleighs establish that at the -- so let's establish that at the outset. i know you're two different people. you're very different people. when i was out here in 2019, what i was talking about, i was reminding people of the shutdown you led in 2013 while colorado was under water. while there were cities and towns all over our state wh

put out a statement they say the faa is committed to prioritizing the mental health of pilots and faabout mental health within the aviation community. all right. 16 minutes now before the top of the hour, brian. >> brian: let's find out some news. let's go with the headlines, this just in. according to the maine attorney general's office, more than 35 million xfinity customers compromised as part of a massive data breach. unauthorized access happened between october 16 and october 19th. the a.g.'s office says customers' user names and passwords have now been compromised. great. a federal judge attempting to block a federal monument from arlington national cemetery. you are looking at it. set to be removed by thursday. workers already started taking it down, fenced it up. a group called defense arlington filed a lawsuit to stop the demolition. a hearing will be held tomorrow at 10:00 eastern to turn the memorial's future. now let's talk football if carley doesn't mind. seahawks hosting the eagles. last minute fourth quarter comeback behind a beautiful throw from backup quarterback drew

we've got to make sure when faa gets these recommendations they institute them.ttee members by the end of this year. tpanel of experts is required to submit recommendations by the end of march for. >> madison at hartsfield jackson international airport. madison welcome to the fox family and thanks for that report. coming up on the fox report concongresses examining amountsf data on unidentified flying objects. some but still being kept from lawmakers according to the most powerful senator. that story is next. rsv is out there. for those 60 years and older protect against rsv with arexvy. arexvy is a vaccine used to prevent lower respiratory disease from rsv in people 60 years and older. arexvy does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients. those with weakened immune systems may have a lower response to the vaccine. the most common side effects are injection site pain, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and joint pain. i chose arexvy. rsv? make it arexvy. israel is under attack. the war against israel began with the

the faa says it's committed to prioritizing mental health.s an extension of the efforts. the faa also says it encourages pilots to seek help for mental health issues because if most if treated do not qualify a pilot from applying. most say the committee is useless unless solid changes are made. >> if you don't address this, it's just going to fester, it's going to grow so we've got to make sure that when the faa gets these recommend daises, they actually institute them. don't cherry pick. reporter: the faa plans to name the committee members by the end of this year. aishah. aishah: madison, thank you and a big welcome to fox news nor first day. welcome. griff: welcome, madison. great to have you on the team. r that's allin for us. fox news live continues. - it's okay, we're here to help you. (piano music begins) - hi, little guys. - [man] settle in. (van door closing) - time to meet your families! (puppies barking) (puppies sniffing) - hi there! - what should we name him? - buster! shingles. some describe it as pulsing electric shocks or shar

since then we've seen a deluge of actions by the administrative state, by the faa, the doj, the ftc, even fish and wildlife services have been looking into elon musk. the fcc where i work this week, just this week, we issued a decision that raked back a 2020 award of nearly $1 billion to bring high-speed internet services to rural americans, a decision that simply doesn't make sense, when viewed from the lens of the facts or the law or the policy. in fact, we made up an entirely new standard and applied it to only one entity, which was star link. none of the other 180 entities that won awards back in 2020 were held to this standard. it was simply moving the goal posts. >> laura: so that sounds like the definition of an

but both the union and faa acknowledge there are staffing issues, something the faa says it is working so many lives at stake. jesse kirsch, nbc news. >>> still to come, putting the no in seminole. t, bcollege bowl play-offs are seut not without outrage over the snub of one school. that's coming up right after this. [laughs] oh, come on now. ♪♪ [stomach growling] it's nothing... sounds like something. ♪when you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion♪ ♪upset stomach, diarrhea♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes for fast relief when you need it most. (whisper) air wick. air wick's limited edition fragrances are infused with natural essential oils for authentic seasonal scents that fill your home with warmth and cheer. what is cirkul? cirkul is the fuel you need to take flight. cirkul is the energy that gets you to the next level. cirkul is what you hope for when life tosses lemons your way. cirkul. it's your water, your way. announcer: try tide power pods with 85% more tide in every pod. who needs that much more tide? everyone's gonna need more tide. it's a mess out there. that's why there's 85

the new faa study will focus on sleep patterns and fatigue with considerations to be applied to work requirements and scheduling. the panel chair is a former ntsb safety expert and also includes experts on fatigue and sleep from nasa and harvard. but the group won't convene until next month. so for now, amid the busiest travel period of the year, the new head of the faa admits that ongoing staffing issues may lead to delays if there is a. >> a shortage of air traffic controllers, we would reduce traffic to accommodate and make sure that everyone is traveling safely. having said that, we haven't had to do that other than on the east coast in the system. generally in a statement, the national air traffic controllers union expressed interest to collaborate with this new panel. >> which is expected to report back to the faa in february. but the union says fundamental problem remains a shortage of certified staff. >> still ahead on the kron 4 >> still ahead on the kron 4 morning news, a new bill is featured and social media content from being exploited financially. we'll have those and af

internal faa doctors based on controllers' anonymous reporting details mistakes made by overworked andes use drugs and alcohol on the job, even fell asleep. nbc's tom costello covers aviation for us. what have you got for us, tom? >> reporter: controllers are facing mandatory overtime, ten hour days, six days a week as we are facing record numbers of passengers in the air right now. there's a self-reporting mechanism controllers have to report when they may have made a mistake or there was a close call, and now some controllers are taking to that site to report drug and alcohol abuse, even sleeping on the job. it's a high stakes, high pressure job, and 2023 has been a year of close calls, involving both pilot and controller error, including this one in austin when a controller cleared a fedex plane to land just as a southwest plane was departing. >> southwest abort. fedex is on the go. >> reporter: one big problem, controller fatigue. 77% of air traffic control facilities are under staffed. leading to mandatory overtime. medical issues forced neil burke to retire this year. >> we're ti

so the faa is turning to sleep experts to identify ways to address fatigue over the past year. more than 300 near miss collisions amid a constant staffing challenge. an air traffic control centers nationwide. >> incidents have been linked to sleep deprived controllers working mandatory overtime or 6 days a week despite a concerted effort to train and add new controllers. it's been a persistent challenge to fill positions due to retirements. the new faa study will focus on sleep patterns and fatigue with considerations to be applied to work requirements and scheduling. the panel chair is a former ntsb safety expert and also includes experts on fatigue and sleep from nasa and harvard. but the group won't convene until next month. so for now, amid the busiest travel period of the year, the new head of the faa admits that ongoing staffing issues may lead to delays if there is a. >> a shortage of air traffic controllers, we would reduce traffic to accommodate and make sure that everyone is traveling safely. having said that, we haven't had to do that other than on the east coast in

the faa, they're launching an investigation into reports that the air traffic controllers who make it happened along with the pilots, but they help people land and take off. they are exhausted, tired. this comes after a series of pretty close calls. newsnation nancy loo has that story. >> with a shortage of over 3,000 controllers, fatigue, staffed have been a concern for years. so the faa is turning to sleep experts to identify ways to address fatigue. >> over the past year, more than 300 near miss collisions amid a constant staffing challenge. an air traffic control centers nationwide. >> incidents have been linked to sleep deprived controllers working mandatory overtime or 6 days a week despite a concerted effort to train and add new controllers. it's been a persistent challenge to fill positions due to retirements. the new faa study will focus on sleep patterns and fatigue with considerations to be applied to work requirements and scheduling. the panel chair is a former ntsb safety expert and also includes experts on fatigue and sleep from nasa and harvard. but the group won't conv

>>> overworked and even using drugs and alcohol, what internal faa documents are now revealing about air traffic controllers. we'll be right back. about air traffic controllers. we'll be right back. m! ♪ (mom) please forgive him. (carolers) ♪ it's all good - just a little awkward. ♪ (soloist) think we'll wrap this up. (vo) for a limited time, turn any iphone in any condition into a new iphone 15 pro with titanium and ipad and apple watch se - all on us. that's up to $1700 in value. only on verizon. a few years ago, i came to saona, they told me there's no electricity on the island. we always thought that whatever we did here would be an emblem of what small communities can achieve. trying to give a better life to people that don't have the means to do it. si mi papá estuviera vivo, sé que él tuviera orgulloso también de vivir de esta viviendo una vida como la que estamos viviendo ahora. es electricidad aquí es salud. >>> welcome back. we are six weeks out from the iowa caucuses. this morning a stark warning from former congresswoman liz cheney about reelecting donald trump. she said

on monday the faa announced a new committee to look at the pilot mental health and identify barriers has more. >>> when you board a flight, you assume the pilot is mentally fit to fly. but aviation and mental health experts say current regulations cause too many pilots to keep their struggles a secret, leading to mental health breakdowns, some in flight. today the ntsb is holding a summit with experts to develop solutions. >> what's unsafe is not getting people the help they deserve. >> reporter: take the case of joseph emerson. >> we've got the guy that tried to shut us down out of the cockpit. >> reporter: in october, he tried to shut down the engines of an alaska flight. a grand jury is indicting him on 83 counts of reckless endangerment. one count of endangering an aircraft. emerson has pleaded not guilty. in court filings he claimed he was having a mental health emergency. he told police he had been depressed for six years, had recently lost a friend and had taken psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours prior to the flight. experts say contributing to the bigger problem, the faa relies o

how the faa and union are responding tonight. >>> a break in the case after that week-long manhunt for a suspected serial killer. what we've just learned about the suspect accused of murdering at least four people, including three homeless men. the technology that helped them track down the suspect. and why police think there could be more victims. back in action, lebron james' son, bronny, returns to the court months after suffering cardiac arrest. >>> and america strong tonight, remembering a woman who taught us to love every moment. >> announcer: from abc news world headquarters in new york, this is "world news tonight." >> good evening, everyone. thanks so much for joining us on another busy sunday. i'm linsey davis. tonight, there are renewed fears that the war between israel and hamas could expand after multiple attacks on cargo vessels in the red sea. they were in the vicinity of a u.s. navy destroyer. u.s. officials say the assault by yemen's irani backed houthi rebels lasted for hours. the uss carney operating in international waters, engaged and shot down several drones trave

. >> the faa is urging congress to pass a new funding bill amid concern about the number of close callsairports. leaders in the aviation industry appeared before lawmakers yesterday asking for a five year funding bill. they say the money is needed for safety improvements and to address the shortage of air traffic controllers in working six day workweeks, ten hour days, 200 hours a month. >> it's a strain. it's a stress. it is fatiguing. and to eliminate or to combat that, we need maximum hiring. when it comes to funding the faa. >> one disagreement in the senate concerns whether to raise the retirement age of pilots from 65 to 67. meanwhile, to better investigate near collisions, the faa wants to require black boxes on planes to capture 25 hours of data far more than the current requirement. >> now to the political showdown dubbed the red state versus blue state debate. the gloves came off as florida governor ron desantis and california governor gavin newsom faced off on fox news last night. the debate began with governor newsom addressing the question why debate? governor desantis, a p

but both the union and faa acknowledge there are staffing issues, something the faa says it is working to fix, with so many lives at stake. jesse kirsch, nbc news. >>> workers could soon unionize. if the auto workers union has its way, the union just won major contract with the top three u.s. automakers and now it is working to organize nearly 150,000 workers at 13 nonunionized car companies. that includes the tesla plant right there in fremont. there is no guarantee they will unionize. tesla ceo, elon musk says he is antiunion, because it creates a quote, lords and peasants atmosphere. >> rob mayeda here, and rob, i had a friend say it feels good to clean the cities and are we getting more of that? >> we had some dust and smoke in the air over the things happening this week. so yes, usually storms help to clean up the air quality and it has been relatively dry to start things off. still what we call the first rain season. really not going to make up too much of a deficit, but every little bit adds up, and at times we've seen about a 10th of an inch of rain for places like san francisc

the faa owns this tower needing the airport or surrounding community cannot update it without the faa for far too long with god without a set of standards or priorities for how we replace airport towers. i'm hoping to change that to my bill which is included in the faa reauthorization. can you talk about the importance of replacing towers at the end of the lifecycle and the importance to maintaining a safe national air system and reducing travel disruption. >> thank you i think it goes without saying that air traffic control towers are one of the most essential elements of a safe national airspace and many of the assets as you mentioned we have over 240 of them in the national airspace that are over 40 years old so i see the gavel razor must be about out of time this infrastructure helping us and we welcome what you're doing with the reauthorization. thank you. >> the chair recognizes lives for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> mr. secretary thank you coming before the committee my remarks and questions will be of no surprise following the news of policy issues and organ. a

the air traffic control staffing system is a huge issue that the faa is scrambling to fix. the department of transportation says that it is 3,000 workers short, and when you factor in retirements and attrition, the work force has grown by only single digits, a net gain of six employees. former air traffic controller union head paul rinaldi tells me there is no doubt that workers are stressed. listen. >> the shortage is a big problem, the fact that the secretary has come out and said we're 3,000 short, and if you look at how long it takes to get a certified air traffic controller from the academy to certified in the facility could take two to three years, and you look at the attrition rates that we're looking at, it's going to be many many years to catch up, unless they do something different. >> new faa administrator, mike whitaker says his focus is on getting new controllers through its training academy without lowering standards. when it comes to controllers drinking, sleeping and using, the faa says it's dealt with those problems on a case-by-case basis. the union of con

so the faa is turning to sleep experts to identify ways to address fatigue over the past year.e than 300 near miss collisions amid a constant staffing challenge. an air traffic control centers nationwide. >> incidents have been linked to sleep deprived controllers working mandatory overtime or 6 days a week despite a concerted effort to train and add new controllers. it's been a persistent challenge to fill positions due to retirements. the new faa study will focus on sleep patterns and fatigue with considerations to be applied to work requirements and scheduling. the panel chair is a former ntsb safety expert and also includes experts on fatigue and sleep from nasa and harvard. but the group won't convene until next month. so for now, amid the busiest travel period of the year, the new head of the faa admits that ongoing staffing issues may lead to delays if there is a. >> a shortage of air traffic controllers, we would reduce traffic to accommodate and make sure that everyone is traveling safely. having said that, we haven't had to do that other than on the east coast in in t

. >> here is the latest from the faa. there is a ground stop just put in place for flights bound to harry reid international airport in las vegas. we are talking about an airport that is only a few thousand feet away from the unlv campus. this is a really large ground stop here. it impacts flights pretty much everywhere on the western u.s. we are talking about 1200 flights of our delayed according to the faa. they could be delayed in our, they could be laid longer. the faa says this is specifically for a security incident and there is a chance this could get extended. but this is impacting flights not only from san francisco and oakland, but all the way to denver. a big hotspot for travelers. we know this will have an impact and oftentimes with these do go in place, there is a ripple effect on travel elsewhere. the latest from the faa, they have put in place a ground stop for flights going into las vegas and they could extend this even longer, jake. >> we see them starting to set up. we are going to squeeze in a quick bre