ICYMI: McIver Leads Demand for Immediate Action at Newark Airport

ICYMI: McIver Leads Demand for Immediate Action at Newark Airport | U.S. House Representative LaMonica McIver Skip to content Close Home About Meet LaMonica Committees And Caucuses Our District Votes and Legislation Contact Email Me Newsletter Subscribe Office Locations Request An Appearance Media Press Releases In the News Press Kit Issues Education Environment Healthcare Housing LGBTQ+ Rights Reproductive Justice Small Business Transportation and Infrastructure Voting Rights Services Help With A Federal Agency Congressional Art Competition Commendations And Greetings Appropriations Requests Flags Grant Applications Internships Military Academy Nominations Congressional App Challenge Tours And Tickets Resources Close Mobile Site Search SEARCH Congresswoman LaMonica McIver About Meet LaMonica Committees And Caucuses Our District Votes and Legislation Contact Email Me Newsletter Subscribe Office Locations Request An Appearance Media Press Releases In the News Press Kit Issues Education Environment Healthcare Housing LGBTQ+ Rights Reproductive Justice Small Business Transportation and Infrastructure Voting Rights Services Help With A Federal Agency Congressional Art Competition Commendations And Greetings Appropriations Requests Flags Grant Applications Internships Military Academy Nominations Congressional App Challenge Tours And Tickets Resources Modal Search Button Mobile Site Search Submit Search MENU Facebook Logo Twitter Logo BlueSky Logo Youtube Logo Instagram Logo Home Media Press Releases May 07, 2025 ICYMI: McIver Leads Demand for Immediate Action at Newark Airport WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Rep. LaMonica McIver called on United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau to immediately address the ongoing crisis at Newark Liberty International Airport that has made air traffic controllers' work nearly impossible, grounded more than thirty flights a day, led to significant delays, and threatened passenger safety. McIver’s district includes the Newark airport. In a letter to the secretary and administrator, McIver and her colleagues called for stronger plans from the FAA for air traffic controller recruitment and retention—including better worker pay— modernized technology for the safety of the nation’s airports, and calls for an urgent meeting with Duffy, Rocheleau, McIver, and the other members, including Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, whose district contains the FAA’s center for managing Newark’s airspace. Full copy of the letter here . Read more from the New Jersey Globe below. NJ Globe : N.J. congressional Dems want answers on Newark Airport woes McIver, other N.J. Dems warn that air travelers are ‘losing trust’ as Newark faces delays, safety concerns By Joey Fox, May 06 2025 6:20 pm As Newark Liberty International Airport suffers from widespread delays and reels from reports that its air traffic controllers briefly lost all contact with planes flying into and out of the airport last week, many of New Jersey’s congressional Democrats – particularly those who represent the sprawling airport – are looking for answers. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark), whose district includes around two-thirds of the airport, led a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and acting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Chris Rocheleau today saying that she and her colleagues have “deep concern” about staffing shortages and other issues at EWR. The letter demands that the nation’s top transportation officials increase air traffic controller pay, modernize air traffic control infrastructure, and develop a strategy to recruit and retain controllers to avert future disasters. “These staffing shortages and technology failures underscore systemic issues within our nation’s air traffic control infrastructure,” the letter states. “Travelers are losing trust in our aviation network, and airlines and transit hubs like EWR are now facing the consequences of long-term failures to invest in aviation infrastructure.” McIver was joined by Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), who also represents part of the airport, and Reps. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing); also listed on the letter is Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania, where the FAA’s center for managing Newark’s airspace is now located after a reshuffling last summer. [...] Air safety has indeed been a recurring theme of President Donald Trump’s early months in office, especially after a crash between a military helicopter and a passenger jet in D.C. killed 67 people in January – an incident that took place just a week into Trump’s term. Newark Airport became the focus of those ongoing conversations starting last week, when an equipment failure led to loss of contact between air traffic controllers and planes. A number of air traffic controllers took trauma leave shortly afterwards, which combined with the scheduled closure of one runway has led to major and ongoing delays; United Airlines has responded by cutting back its flights and even urging travelers to use a different airport. ### Print Email Share Previous Article Next Article About Contact Media Issues Services