June 07, 2023

Duckworth Discusses Airline Safety and Workforce Development with Air Line Pilots Association Members

 

 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—today met with Illinois members of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) to discuss aircraft safety, pilot training and development. Duckworth met with ALPA Vice President Captain Wendy Morse, Captain Matt McNally and Captain Gary Connell, highlighting her top priorities ahead of this fiscal year’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization. Photos from today’s meeting are available here.

“As the Chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, I’m committed to supporting our pilots and ensuring they have the training, development and support they need,” Duckworth said. “It was great to meet with Illinois members of the Air Line Pilots Association today and discuss how important the 1,500 Hour Rule is to passenger safety.  I look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen and increase safety in the aviation industry.”

Last week, Duckworth reintroduced her EVAC Act, legislation to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does more to prioritize passenger safety by appropriately considering carry-on baggage, people with disabilities, seniors and children in its emergency evacuation standards, which ALPA supports.

ALPA is a union that represents and advocates for more than 74,000 pilots at 40 U.S. and Canadian airlines, making it the world’s largest airline pilot union.