Infrastructure Crisis: Accusations Fly as Congress Grills Transportation Secretary

Newark Airport and U.S. Infrastructure: A Heated Exchange Between Rep. Torres and Secretary Duffy On May 14, 2025, a heated exchange took place during a House Transportation Committee hearing. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) raised concerns about the state of U.S. infrastructure and the impact of staffing shortages, particularly within the FAA. Torres claimed that "at least 400 air traffic controllers responsible for maintaining air traffic control systems were fired, resulting in delays to much needed upgrades." She attributed these issues to workforce layoffs and tariffs. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy strongly refuted Torres's claims. He stated, "We didn't have 3,000 controller shortages in the last 100 days. There was four years that came before, where nothing was done." Duffy shifted the blame to the previous administration, highlighting a backlog of 3,200 grants approved but not implemented under the Biden administration. He also argued that the infrastructure issues were not solely a result of the Trump administration's final 100 days. The DOT later clarified that fewer than 400 FAA employees were terminated, but none were air traffic controllers or essential personnel. The exchange underscores the ongoing debate surrounding U.S. infrastructure and the political complexities of addressing these challenges. While both sides presented evidence, the lack of consensus highlights the need for further investigation and collaboration to improve the nation’s infrastructure.