09/30/2014 House and Senate Illinois Democratic lawmakers requested an investigation of the Federal Aviation Administration's security procedures at air traffic control facilities following two fires.
< Read more > 09/29/2014 The Illinois delegation in Washington is calling for an investigation into the FAA emergency protocols after the alleged actions of a sole employee at the Aurora signal facility managed to cause a nationwide flight disruption last week, saying it was the second area fire to disrupt air traffic.
< Read more > 09/29/2014 The head of the Federal Aviation Administration ordered reviews of emergency procedures and security as lawmakers questioned how one man armed with gasoline and knives crippled the U.S. air-traffic system last week.
< Read more > 09/29/2014 Illinois congressmen are criticizing the long-delayed Olmsted lock and dam project.
< Read more > 09/28/2014 The havoc created by a suicidal technician at a Chicago-area flight-control center has some lawmakers asking how a single person armed with gasoline and knives could bring down part of the U.S. air-traffic system.
< Read more > 09/28/2014 If passengers can divert a commercial plane by feuding over reclining seats, imagine the squabbles that will erupt if fliers are allowed to make loud telephone calls while crammed together in an airline cabin.
< Read more > 09/26/2014 There are mounting questions about how one person could so easily cause such chaos for Chicago's airports.
< Read more > 09/23/2014 Pro-life Republicans and Democrats alike have voiced condemnation for the findings of a recent report showing that federal subsidies are funding abortion coverage in the Affordable Care Act.
< Read more > 09/23/2014 Reps. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) have introduced legislation to reform the Federal Aviation Administration's hiring process for air traffic controllers.
< Read more > 09/23/2014 Letting people make calls while fling will cause dangerous fights according to a letter signed by 77 Members of Congress and sent to the heads of the Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security, Justice and the FCC. In-flight conversations will cause arguments and even physical altercations that will present a real safety hazard on planes according to the lawmakers. The letter was put together by Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Dan Lipinski (D-Il), and signed by mix of other Republicans and Democrats.
< Read more > 09/22/2014 To bankroll needed repairs to Illinois' waterway system, two Illinois congressmen – one a Democrat, the other a Republican – voiced support Monday for a national 6 cent a gallon diesel fuel tax increase for commercial vessels.
< Read more > 09/22/2014 A bipartisan group of almost 80 U.S. lawmakers urged regulators on Monday not to end the ban on making mobile phone calls on commercial airline flights.
< Read more > 09/19/2014 A new federal policy aimed at making it easier for members of the general public with no aviation background to embark on careers in air traffic control would be reversed under legislation proposed in Congress on Friday.
< Read more > 09/15/2014 The Department of Homeland Security doesn't know how much it spends on R&D;, making it difficult for the sprawling agency to oversee and coordinate those efforts, according to the Government Accountability Office. R&D; at DHS is "inherently fragmented," David Maurer, GAO's director of homeland security and justice, told a House hearing. This is because each of several components of the agency–the Science and Technology Directorate, the Coast Guard, and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office–are given R&D; responsibilities by law. Meanwhile, other DHS components may pursue and conduct their own R&D; efforts as long as those activities are coordinated through the S&T; office, Maurer said.
< Read more > 09/12/2014 After years and years of bitter squabbling over every last penny, peace finally seems to have broken out at the Regional Transportation Authority.
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