Seeking to combat massive delays at Newark Liberty International, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) wants the Federal Aviation Administration to dispatch air traffic controllers from other airport systems and to create a training program to “safely and smartly fast-track military combat controllers (CCTs) to become FAA-certified air traffic controllers (ATCs).”
“We should pay these air traffic controllers whatever it takes to get them here,” said Gottheimer, a candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. “Twenty percent of our nation’s economy runs through this region and through Jersey — and this is hurting our economy. “
The five-term congressman said the creation of this program “can help fast-track military control tower workers, get them trained on how to handle the Newark airspace, reduce staff shortages, and help airports like ours get back on track.”
“This is just commonsense, and clearly if they can handle the skies in a military offensive, they would have a good leg up on handling flights here,” stated Gottheimer. And, I’m going to McGuire Air Force Base to recruit.
Gottheimer wants to cut through red tape that delays CCTs from becoming FAA certified, and to immediately review wiring and technical infrastructure issues that led to some planes losing contact with the FAA for ninety seconds.
“We must immediately surge investment and ensure we have enough people in the towers and on the ground to ensure safety in our skies. No more copper wires. No more outdated technology,” he said. “We are the greatest country in the world. We must do this now.”
He also wants U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to send an emergency funding request to Congress by June 1.
“We cannot wait a day longer to fix the technology issues at Newark, or the dire conditions and staffing issues we are seeing around the country. We must immediately surge investment and ensure we have enough people in the towers and on the ground to ensure safety in our skies,” Gottheimer said. “The bottom line is that this isn’t a partisan issue — it’s a matter of public safety. It’s about fixing a system that we need to work together to fix.”