Rep. Doggett’s Statement on Trump’s Failure to Address Air Safety

January 30, 2025 Press Release Contact: Alexis.Torres@mail.house.gov Washington, D.C.— Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who has been seeking improvements in air safety at the Austin airport, which experienced yet another near mid-air collision three months ago when a small plane came within 350 feet of an American Airlines passenger jet, issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s failure to adequately address air safety: “At a time when we very much need to strengthen our margin of air safety in Austin and many other parts of the country, President Trump’s attempt to exploit last night’s tragedy by injecting his perennial attacks on diversity equity and inclusion is truly outrageous. I had hoped to work with his Administration to get the additional air traffic controllers we need. Instead, his freeze on hiring and failure to prioritize the nomination of a new FAA Administrator and Deputy Administrator has taken us backward. Not until after last night’s crash has he belatedly named only a Temporary FAA Administrator. He needs to stop blaming others, look in the mirror, and start helping us prevent another mid-air collision.”