1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Donald Trump walked into the White House Press Briefing Room 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: to hold a press conference on the horrific plane crash 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: that happened, and it was a sad moment, but also 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: a moment where the President said, we must do better 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: when it comes to hiring. He's taking a lot of 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: criticism because he was asked questions about dei hiring practices 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 1: and the government that had put together many people in 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: many different departments and agencies, including the FAA, not choosing 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: the best among us, but choosing those based on diversity, equity, 10 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: and inclusion. 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 2: Now the President is taking heat for his answers. 12 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: I want you to hear from him at this press 13 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: conference so you know exactly what he really said and 14 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: not what the media is reporting. They are taking him 15 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: out of context. Here's the President in his own words. 16 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 3: Mister Reid, welcome, Thank you very much. Thank you. 17 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 4: I'd like to request a moment of silence or the 18 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 4: victims and their families please. 19 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 3: Thank you very much. 20 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 4: I speak to you this morning in an hour of 21 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 4: anguish for a nation. Just before nine pm last night, 22 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 4: in an American Airlines Regional jet carrying sixty passengers and 23 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 4: four crew collided with an Army black Hawk helicopter carrying 24 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 4: three military service members over the Potomac River in Washington, 25 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 4: DC while on final approach to Rega National Airport. Both 26 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 4: aircraft crashed instantly and were immediately submerged into the icy 27 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 4: waters of the Potomac. 28 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 3: Real tragedy. 29 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 4: The massive search and rescue mission was underway throughout the night, 30 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 4: leveraging every asset at our disposal. And I have to 31 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 4: say the local state, federal military, including the United States 32 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 4: Coast Guard in particular, they've done a phenomenal job so quick, 33 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 4: so fast. It was mobilized immediately. The work has now 34 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 4: shifted to a recovery mission. 35 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 3: Sadly, there are no survivors. 36 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 4: This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's 37 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 4: capital and in our nation's history, and a tragedy of 38 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 4: terrible proportions. As one nation, we grieve for every precious 39 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 4: soul that has been taken from us so suddenly, and 40 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 4: we are a country. 41 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 3: Of really we are in mourning. This is really shaken 42 00:02:59,320 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 3: a lot. 43 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 4: Of people, well, including people very sadly from other nations 44 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 4: who are on the flood for the family members back 45 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 4: in Wichita, Kansas, here in Washington to sea and throughout 46 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 4: the United States, and in Russia we have a Russia 47 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 4: contingents of very talented people. Unfortunately, we're on that plane, 48 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,959 Speaker 4: very very sorry about that. Whose loved ones were board 49 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 4: the passenger jet. We can only begin to imagine the 50 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 4: agony that you're all feeling. Nothing worse on behalf of 51 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 4: the first Lady, myself and three hundred and forty million Americans. 52 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 4: Our hearts are shattered alongside yours, and our prayers are 53 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 4: with you now and in the days to come. 54 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 3: We'll be working very, very diligently. In the days to come. 55 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 4: We're here for you to wipe away the tears and 56 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 4: to offer you our devotion, our love, and our support. 57 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 3: There's great support. 58 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 4: In moments like this, The differences between Americans fade to 59 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 4: nothing compared to the bonds of affection and loyalty that 60 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 4: unite us all, both as Americans and even as nations. 61 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,559 Speaker 4: We are one family, and today we are all heartbroken. 62 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 3: We're all searching for answers. 63 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 4: That icy Potomac was a cold, cold night, cold water. 64 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 3: We're all overcome with. 65 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 4: The grief for many who have so tragically perished will 66 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 4: no longer be with us. Together, we take solace in 67 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 4: the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold 68 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 4: waters of the Potomac, but in the warm embrace of 69 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 4: a loving God. We do not know what led to 70 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 4: this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, 71 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 4: and I think we'll probably state those opinions now, because 72 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 4: over the years I've watched as things like this happen 73 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 4: and they say, well, we're always investigating, and then the 74 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 4: investigation three years later they announce it. 75 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 3: We think we have some pretty good ideas. 76 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 4: But we'll find out how this disaster occurred and will 77 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 4: ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. The FAA 78 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 4: and the NTSB and the US military will be carrying 79 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 4: out a systematic and comprehensive investigation. Our new Secretary of Transportation, 80 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 4: Sean Duffy his second day on the job when that happened. 81 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 4: It's a rough one. We'll be working tirelessly. He's a 82 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 4: great gentleman. The whole group is these are great people, 83 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 4: and they are working tirelessly to figure out exactly what happened. 84 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 4: We will state certain opinions, however, I'm also immediately appointing 85 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 4: an acting Commissioner to the FAA, Christopher Rochelieu, a twenty 86 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 4: two year veteran of the agency. Highly respected Christopher, thank 87 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 4: you very much, appreciate it. We must have only the 88 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 4: highest standards for those who work in our aviation system. 89 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 4: I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best 90 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 4: to extraordinary. 91 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 3: Remember that only. 92 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 4: The highest aptitude have to be the highest intellect and 93 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 4: psychologically superior people were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers. 94 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 3: That was not so prior to getting there. 95 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 4: When I arrived in twenty sixteen. I made that change 96 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 4: very early on because I always felt this was a 97 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 4: job and other jobs too, but this was a job 98 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 4: that had to be superior intelligence and we didn't really 99 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 4: have that, and we had it. And then when I 100 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 4: left office and Biden took over, he changed them back 101 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 4: to lower than ever before. 102 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 3: I put safety first. 103 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 4: Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first, and they 104 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 4: put politics at a level that nobody's ever seen. 105 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: Because this was the lowest level. 106 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 4: That policy was horrible and their politics was even worse. 107 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 3: So, as you know, last week, long. 108 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 4: Before the crash, I signed an executive order restoring our 109 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 4: highest standards for air traffic controllers and other important jobs 110 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 4: throughout the country. 111 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 3: So it was very interesting. 112 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 4: About a week ago, almost upon entering office, I signed 113 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:26,679 Speaker 4: something last week that was an executive order, very powerful 114 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 4: and restoring the highest standards of air traffic controllers and others. 115 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 4: By the way, then my administration will set the highest 116 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 4: possible bar for aviation safety. We have to have our 117 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 4: smartest people. It doesn't matter what they look like, how 118 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 4: they speak, who they are matters intellect, talent, the word talent. 119 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 4: Have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses. It can't have 120 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 4: regular people doing that job. They won't be able to 121 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 4: do it, but will restore faith in American air traveler. 122 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 4: Have more to say about that. You want to point 123 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 4: out that various articles that appeared prior to my entering office, 124 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 4: and here's one. The FAA's diversity push includes focus on 125 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 4: hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. 126 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: Let's just pause there and think about that. The President 127 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: didn't just say this. He brought receipts. He brought receipts 128 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: of actual articles where the fa is saying we are 129 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: not hiring the best. It's not what we do here. 130 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: We are hiring people with severe mental issues or disabilities 131 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: as part of our DEI hiring practices and PEP. We 132 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: are like, well you can't say that, why not? That's 133 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: what actually happened. That's exactly what happened. 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They have a one 157 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: hundred percent US based customer service team that will help 158 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: you find the perfect plan. 159 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 2: So right now, go to Patriotmobile. 160 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: Dot com slash ferguson or call them nine to seven 161 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: to two Patriot. You're going to get a free month 162 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: of service with the promo code ferguson. So switch to 163 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: Patriot Mobile and make a difference with every call you make. 164 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: Patriot Mobile dot com slash ferguson or nine seven to 165 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: two Patriot. Now, we don't exactly know who's fault it 166 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: is yet on this. It could be multiple, It could 167 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: be accidents happen, there's human air involved. But the president's 168 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: also making it clear we need to go back to 169 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: having the best in the brightest, regardless of race, regardless 170 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: of sexual orientation, and up on the website as we 171 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: as this crash happen, there were job postings. 172 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 2: And there were these orders from these government agents. 173 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: He's on DEI and the President brought receipts of articles 174 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: talking about this, and I want you to hear again. 175 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,599 Speaker 4: Here's what he said to point out that various articles 176 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 4: that appeared prior to my entering office. 177 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 3: And here's one. 178 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 4: The FAA's diversity push includes focus on hiring people with 179 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 4: severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. 180 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 3: That is amazing. 181 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 4: And then it says FAA says people with severe disabilities 182 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 4: a most underrepresented segment of the workforce, and they. 183 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 3: Want them in and they want them they can be 184 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 3: air traffic controllers. I don't think so. This was. 185 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 4: In January fourteenth, so that was a week before I 186 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 4: entered office. They put a big push to put diversity 187 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:59,839 Speaker 4: into the FAA's program. Then another article the Federal Aviation Administration, 188 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:06,079 Speaker 4: This was before I got to office. Recently, second term, 189 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:12,839 Speaker 4: the FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, 190 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 4: psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a 191 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 4: diversity and inclusion hiring initiatives spelled out on the agency's website. 192 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: Can you imagine, just so you know, this was up 193 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: on the websites for hiring when this plane crash happened. 194 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: And that's the reason why Donald Trump's coming in and saying, 195 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:37,439 Speaker 1: if you want to know what you've been paying for, 196 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: if you want to know what you're getting, this is 197 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: what you're getting. This is what you've been paying for, 198 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: This is everything you've been there. I mean, this is 199 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: it like this is this is the government for the 200 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 1: last four years actively looking for people that are having 201 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: mental health issues to be in charge those that are 202 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: with all of these types of issues. And then they're 203 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: proud of it, and they're like, oh, yeah, this is great, 204 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: this is absolutely great. Come on down be an air 205 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: traffic controller. Now, I want to be clear, we don't 206 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: exactly know what happened yet, but what he's saying is 207 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: it wouldn't be shocking or surprising if this played into it, 208 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: and if this did pay into it, play into it, 209 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: then there should, I think, be hell to pay. And 210 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: he said, as he described it, I don't think so. 211 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: Now when he says I don't think so, what does 212 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: he mean. What he means is not under my watch 213 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,839 Speaker 1: for the next four years, we're going to hire the brightest, 214 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: We're going to hire the best. We are not going 215 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: to hire DEI hires and put people's lives at risk. 216 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: Potentially while flying to fill a stupid quota. That is 217 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: something we will not do. And the President saying it 218 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: to the American people because he's like, if you want 219 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: to know why I'm making changes, and the media is 220 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: going to lie to you, this is why. 221 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 2: Here are the receipts, here's the job postings. 222 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: Here are the articles written just a week before I 223 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:18,479 Speaker 1: took office on the fourteenth. 224 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 4: These are people that are I mean, actually their lives 225 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 4: are shortened because of the stress that they have. Brilliant 226 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 4: people have to be in those positions, and their lives 227 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 4: are actually shortened, very substantially shortened because of the stress 228 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 4: where you have many, many planes coming into one target 229 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 4: and you need a very special talent and a very 230 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 4: special genius to be able to do it. Targeted disabilities 231 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 4: are those disabilities that the federal government, as a matter 232 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 4: of policy, has identified for special emphasis and recruitment and hiring. 233 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 3: The FAA's website states. 234 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 4: They include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, 235 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 4: severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism. 236 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 3: All qualify for the position of. 237 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 4: A controller of aeroplanes pouring into our country, pouring into. 238 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 3: A little spot, a little dot on the map, a 239 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 3: little runway. 240 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 4: The initiative is part of the faas Diversity and. 241 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 3: Inclusion Hiring Plan. Think of that. 242 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 4: The initiative is part of the FAA's Diversity and Inclusion 243 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 4: Hiring Plan, which says diversity is integral to achieving FAA's 244 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 4: mission of ensuring safe and efficient travel. 245 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 3: I don't think so. I don't think so. I think 246 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 3: it's just the opposite. 247 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 4: The FAA website shows that the agency's guidance and diversity 248 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 4: hiring were last updated on March twenty third of twenty two. 249 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 4: They wanted to make it even more so. And then 250 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 4: I came in and I assume maybe this. 251 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 3: Is the reason. 252 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 4: The FAA, which is overseen by Secretary Pete Buddhachek, a 253 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 4: real winner. 254 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 3: That's the guy. He's a real winner. 255 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 4: Do you know how badly everything's run since he's run 256 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 4: this Department of Transportation. 257 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 3: He's a disaster. 258 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 4: He was a disaster as a mayor, he ran his 259 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 4: city into the ground, and he's a disaster now. He's 260 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 4: just got a good line of both the Department of Transportation, 261 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 4: his government agency charged with regulating civil aviation, well, he 262 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 4: runs it forty five thousand people, and he's run it 263 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 4: right into the ground with his diversity. 264 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: You notice here and Donald Trump said what he said 265 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: a moment ago. People die when you put these policies 266 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: into serious positions where there is safety or national security involved. 267 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: That's why the President said it the way that he 268 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: said it. That's why he came out the way that 269 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: he came out out to say, let's have a press 270 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: conference and let's talk it out. 271 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 2: That's why I came out and brought receipts. 272 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: One of the things that this administration's doing in his 273 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: second term that's so much better than him in the 274 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: first term is bringing the receipts. He's bringing the receipts 275 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: to the room and saying, here it is, this is 276 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: what they did, this is what they wrote about, this 277 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: is how they described it, this is when they started 278 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: implementing it. They ran it into the ground. And he's 279 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: not doing it to grandstand. He's doing it to say, 280 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 1: while I am making significant changes, you need to understand why, 281 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,360 Speaker 1: because the media is going to lie to you about it. 282 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: The media is going to tell you that these changes 283 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: are just terrible, and go through this list and they're 284 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: going to fearmonger you and you need to understand that 285 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: while I'm making these changes, this is to keep you safe. 286 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,719 Speaker 1: This is to protect you and your family. I have 287 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: no doubt that last night on that plane, there were 288 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,200 Speaker 1: a lot of different races, a lot of different voters. 289 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 1: There were people that Republican, there are people that are Democrats, 290 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: people that are in the middle, there are people that 291 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: were registered to vote, not registered vote, people from all 292 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 1: over the world. 293 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 3: We know that. 294 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: All of them deserve to have competent people in and 295 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: around them. Now, it may come back that this was 296 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: human error in a mistake, a tragic mistake that could 297 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 1: absolutely happen, but there also could be part of this 298 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 1: that is in fact the DEI. 299 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 2: We don't know yet. 300 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: But what we do know is there are people that 301 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: deserve to lose their jobs within the FAA, within these 302 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: sectors because they were not the best people hired for 303 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: the job. 304 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 2: They were a quota. 305 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 1: And in serious jobs like this, you cannot have average 306 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: people doing the jobs. You need the best, and you 307 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: need the brightest. I want you to hear my conversation 308 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: center Ted Cruz and I had about well, this tragedy 309 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: that happened in Washington when all this was unfolding, with 310 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: this helicopter and airplane colliding. 311 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 2: Listen carefully to his words. 312 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 5: Well, it was truly a tragic and horrific accident, and 313 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 5: it cost the lives of sixty seven souls. The commercial 314 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 5: airliner from American Airlines, flying from Wichita, Kansas to Washington 315 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 5: d C. Reagan Airport had sixty passengers on it and 316 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 5: four crew members. And then an Army black Hawk helicopter 317 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 5: had three soldiers on it, bringing the total death toll 318 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:41,160 Speaker 5: to sixty seven. The two collided just before nine pm 319 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 5: on Wednesday night. They collided as the American Airlines airliner 320 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 5: was landing at d C. Reagan Airport. And I'll tell 321 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 5: you today, so you and I are recording this Thursday night. Today, 322 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 5: I spent a lot of the day dealing with the 323 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 5: aftermath of this. As you know, I'm the chairman of 324 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 5: the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has 325 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 5: jurisdiction over all of aviation, and so today I hosted 326 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 5: briefings from the FAA and the NTSB, the National Traffic 327 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 5: Safety Board, and were heard from. They were bipartisan briefings. 328 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:29,959 Speaker 5: I had senators both Republicans and Democrats, that participated, and 329 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 5: we got we got briefings the NTSB, which is, as 330 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 5: I said, the National Transportation Safety Board does investigations whenever 331 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 5: there's a serious accident, whenever there's an accident, an aviation accident, 332 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 5: whenever there's a rail accident, they do investigations, and so 333 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 5: we heard from them. Now as of Thursday, the NTSB 334 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 5: had over a dozen investigators on the ground. And listen, 335 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 5: in the wake of an accident, you've got to actually 336 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 5: see what happened. You've got to investigate and discover the facts, 337 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 5: discover the evidence. In this instance, we know that the 338 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 5: American Airlines flight was coming in. It was initially on 339 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 5: Runway one at Reagan Airport, and then the air traffic 340 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 5: controllers moved it to runway thirty three, So they shifted 341 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 5: the runway right at the very end, and the American 342 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 5: Airlines pilots changed their descent to land on runway thirty three. Now, simultaneously, 343 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 5: there was an Army black Hawk helicopter that was traveling. 344 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 5: There are multiple helicopter routes that go in and around 345 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 5: Reagan Airport, and that Army helicopter was on Route one 346 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 5: and then it was shifting from Route one to Root four, 347 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 5: and the air traffic controllers were in contact obviously with 348 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 5: the pilots of the American Airlines flight and also the 349 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 5: pilots of the helicopter, and after telling the American Airlines 350 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 5: yet to land on Runway thirty three, the air traffic 351 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 5: controller tells the black Hawk pilots to visually confirm and 352 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 5: have in line of sight the incoming plane, and the 353 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 5: black Hawk helicopter pilots confirmed that yes, they have the 354 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 5: plane in sight, and they also instruct the black Hawk 355 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 5: pilots to come behind the plane that is landing. What 356 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 5: in fact happens, or what appears to have happened, is 357 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 5: the black Hawk helicopter came in front of the plane 358 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 5: that was landing. The two collided midair and exploded midair. 359 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 5: Now at this point it appears everyone involved died. Both 360 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 5: the plane and the black Hawk helicopter sunk into the 361 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 5: Potomac River. They were both in relatively shallow water, about 362 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 5: seven to eight feet of water where they had sunk. 363 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 5: As of Thursday, the black box the flight recorder had 364 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 5: been recovered from the airplane and they are in the 365 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 5: process of recovering the black box, the audio transcript recorder 366 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 5: for the Blackhawk helicopter. So both of those will be 367 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 5: recovered and they're trying to piece together what happened. What 368 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 5: do we know. We know that somebody were multiple somebodies 369 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:31,239 Speaker 5: made a catastrophic mistake, a catastrophic mistake that led to 370 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 5: a massive loss of life. At this point, and look, 371 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 5: there are lots of people who are giving all sorts 372 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 5: of theories, who are jumping on all sorts of possibilities. 373 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 5: In my view, we shouldn't speculate. We shouldn't we shouldn't 374 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 5: get ahead of the evidence. 375 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 4: We need to. 376 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 5: Understand exactly what caused this accident, Whether it was an 377 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 5: error on the part of the army pilot, whether it 378 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 5: was conceivably an error on the part of the commercial 379 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 5: airliner pilot, whether it was an error on the part 380 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 5: of the air traffic controller, or some combination of multiplayers 381 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 5: in that regard. We don't know right now. What we 382 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 5: do know is two aircraft were in the same place 383 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 5: at the same time. Now, as we were having the 384 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 5: briefing from the NTSB and the FAA that they told 385 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 5: us several things. Number One that had the helicopter stayed 386 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 5: on Route four, it would have been well out of 387 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:34,439 Speaker 5: the way of the landing path of the airline, and 388 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:37,719 Speaker 5: it would have been in a lower altitude than where 389 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,439 Speaker 5: the helicopter and the jet collided. We don't know what 390 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,119 Speaker 5: happened exactly. One of the things the NTSB is going 391 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 5: to do in this investigation is they're going to listen 392 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 5: to the black box recordings of both aircraft and they're 393 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 5: going to retrace the path, the exact path of both 394 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 5: aircraft to discover was one of them where it was 395 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,439 Speaker 5: not supposed to be? Were both of them where they 396 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,680 Speaker 5: were not supposed to be? At this point, we don't 397 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 5: have a clear answer to that, and it's easy I 398 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 5: would say, don't trust twitter, don't trust every theory. Look, 399 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 5: they looked at one theory and actually something I asked 400 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 5: the NTSB, I said, when the air traffic controller asked 401 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 5: the black Hawk pilots, do you have visual confirmation to 402 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 5: the aircraft? And the black Hawk pilots confirmed that, do 403 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 5: we have evidence that they were looking at a different airplane? 404 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 5: You could certainly this strikes me as a reasonable inference 405 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 5: that the the helicopter pilot looks and says, yes, I 406 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 5: see the plane and perhaps didn't realize it was a 407 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 5: different plane. That was landing, because presumably if they saw 408 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 5: the plane that led to the collision, they would not 409 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 5: have stayed in the path of the plane, but they 410 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 5: would have would have piloted elsewhere. So NTSB and FAA 411 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 5: told me right now we don't know, so that's not confirmed. 412 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 5: That's that's a theory people are saying online it is 413 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 5: a plausible theory, but we don't have confirmation of. 414 00:25:58,160 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 3: That right now. 415 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 5: There's also discussion about the equipment. So the Blackhawk helicopter 416 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 5: had a transponder, so it was appearing on radar. It 417 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:17,479 Speaker 5: did not have technology called ADSB, which is technology that 418 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 5: pings the location of an aircraft and it does so 419 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 5: using GPS rather than radar, and ADSB is more accurate 420 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 5: and more reliable then simply a transponder that is pinging 421 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:37,679 Speaker 5: on radar. Now, under the FAA rules, military aircraft and 422 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 5: federal law enforcement an aircraft are exempted from the requirement 423 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 5: that they have ADSB technology. And I will tell you 424 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 5: as we were talking with the FAA, as we were 425 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 5: talking with the NTSB, what they told us, at least 426 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 5: initially is that had the Blackhawk had a they said, 427 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 5: it would have not have altered the ability of air 428 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 5: Traffic Control and the American Airlines pilot to see the helicopter. 429 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 5: I don't know. I will confess I don't know the 430 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 5: technical answers to that to this precisely, which is why 431 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 5: the investigation needs to proceed. I expect to get an 432 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 5: answer on that, but we don't know the answer to 433 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 5: that exactly. I will say, also, Ben, I think a 434 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 5: very reasonable question that a number of senators were asking 435 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:36,120 Speaker 5: is why exactly are there so many helicopter flight paths 436 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:40,199 Speaker 5: immediately in the vicinity of such a busy airport as 437 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 5: D C. Reagan Airport? Is that a sound policy decision 438 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 5: to have helicopters traveling that close. Now, I don't know 439 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 5: if that's the cause of it, By the way, we will. 440 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 5: What we do know is the two should not have collided, 441 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 5: and so somebody screwed up, and well we'll figure out 442 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 5: who and how and why. 443 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 2: And look, Washington. 444 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: I talked to IT pilot today and he said, Washington's 445 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 1: just different, and Reagan's just different. There's a lot more 446 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: helicopters there, there's a lot more airspace there that's different 447 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 1: than other parts. It's a lot more intense, there's a 448 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: lot more rules especially after nine to eleven, and so 449 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:18,400 Speaker 1: you got to look at all those things. It goes 450 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: back to what you're saying, it's just different. Private airplanes, 451 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,640 Speaker 1: for example, aren't going into Reagan. You go into DoLS 452 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: for that exact reason, because you're protecting and so there 453 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 1: are so many X factors. Is one pilot to today, 454 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 1: there's so many questions to ask. This is not as 455 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: simple yes or no or point a finger, because there's 456 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: so many X factors when you fly. 457 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 5: To DCA Well, and I'll say the briefing that I 458 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 5: hosted with NTSB and the FAA, so I was on it. 459 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 5: Obviously Maria Cantwell, who is the ranking member, the senior 460 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 5: Democrat on the Commerce Committee, she was on it. We 461 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,719 Speaker 5: also had both of the Kansas Senators, Jerry Moran and 462 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 5: Roger Marshall. They both participated, and obviously the flight came 463 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 5: from Wichitas, so the can the senators are particularly engaged. 464 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 5: And then we had Tammy Duckworth and Jerry Moran and 465 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 5: Tammy Duckworth are the chairman and ranking member, respectively of 466 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 5: the Aviation Subcommittee of the Commerce Committee, so they're both 467 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 5: particularly engaged in aviation issues, which is why I invited 468 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 5: both of them to participate. So Tammy Duckworth was in 469 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 5: the military. She was a helicopter pilot, and she's in 470 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 5: a wheelchair. She was very badly wounded in a combat injury. 471 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 5: But she is an experienced helicopter pilot. And I will 472 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 5: tell you in the briefing, I commented, I said, Tammy, 473 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 5: it's really helpful to have an experienced helicopter pilot as 474 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 5: part of this discussion, because she was literally she had 475 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 5: the maps out of the flight path and she's looking at, okay, 476 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 5: where runway thirty three is and where helicopter Root four is. 477 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 5: And Tammy was saying in the course of the discussion, look, 478 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 5: if the helicopter stayed on helicopter Root four, it should 479 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 5: not have been anywhere close to the landing pattern for 480 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 5: runway thirty three. That was an insight. Look, I'm not 481 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 5: a helicopter pilot. I don't have the insight to look 482 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 5: at those maps and determine that. I thought that was 483 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 5: a very interesting insight from her. I'll tell you something else. 484 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 5: She said that I didn't know that was interesting. It's 485 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 5: been widely reported the Army Black helicopter was on a 486 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 5: training mission. What she said is the Army routinely codes 487 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 5: virtually every flight as a training mission. And she said 488 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 5: the reason they do that is Army pilots are required 489 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 5: to have a certain number of hours to keep their certification, 490 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 5: and so every flight they do as a training mission 491 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 5: to maintain those hours. So what she said is it 492 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 5: doesn't necessarily convey what the purpose of that flight was 493 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 5: that it is being called a training mission. I have 494 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 5: to admit I would not have known that had she 495 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 5: not said that, And I think all of us we 496 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 5: were like, oh, that's interesting. 497 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, because when you listen, especially if you're just watching 498 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: the news, and they're like, why would you have this 499 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: training flight this time and night? Yeah, right there in 500 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: this airspace. Surely there's somewhere else you could go and TrAAin. 501 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: That is a lot less ingested than DCA and all 502 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: the regulations that you have and this bravo space around 503 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: the Washington d C at the highest level, go somewhere 504 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: else and be safer. But the way that you just 505 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: described it from her, well, this actually makes sense. They 506 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: could be doing real work and they categorize it as 507 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:17,959 Speaker 1: a train mission. 508 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 5: So look, I think in the days that go forward, 509 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 5: we're going to find out what the precise mission was. 510 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 5: My understanding is the pilots for the American Airlines flight 511 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 5: were quite experienced. They had a very significant number of 512 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 5: hours of flight, so they were very experienced. At this point, 513 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 5: I don't have a clear picture of what the experience 514 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:41,240 Speaker 5: level was for the Army pilots. I'm confident we will 515 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 5: find out more about that, and I'm confident we will 516 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 5: have discussions on policy questions. One discussion I'm sure we 517 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 5: will have is whether the exemptions of the FAA rules 518 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 5: for military aircraft and federal law enforcement aircraft from having 519 00:31:56,040 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 5: the ADSB technology, whether that is a good decision or not. 520 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 5: My understanding is one of the reasons for that exemption 521 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 5: is the military and law enforcement sometimes doesn't want to 522 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:10,120 Speaker 5: be tracked. They don't want their location evident, and there 523 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 5: may be reasons for both military and law enforcement context 524 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 5: why you want the ability not to be tracked in 525 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 5: real time. I think that's a discussion we're going to 526 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 5: have to have, and as I sit here today, I 527 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 5: don't know whether that if the Blackhawk had that technology, 528 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 5: whether it would have made a material difference preventing this accident. 529 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 5: I think that's a reasonable question to ask. Secondly, I 530 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 5: think we're going to get some real questions about, Okay, 531 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 5: how many helicopter flights are there in and around Reagan Airport? 532 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 5: Do we need all of those flights? Is there an 533 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 5: unnecessary and unreasonable risk. I don't know the answer to that. 534 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 5: There may be some compelling reason why you need to 535 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 5: have that. I certainly think you ought to give the 536 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 5: military a chance to explain it. But I think given 537 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 5: this horrific collision and the lives that are lost, we're 538 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 5: gonna have to have a very serious conversation about what 539 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 5: caused this accident and what steps can be taken to 540 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 5: prevent this from happening in the future. 541 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: Well, let's talk about the government aspect of this as well, 542 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 1: because there's people that have been asking is there full staffing? 543 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: Are we understaffed? Are there enough people in the towers? 544 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: Are there enough qualified people in the towers? Has that 545 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 1: even become part of the conversation yet? 546 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 5: On the hill it's certainly part of the conversation. I 547 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 5: would say at this point, we don't know. 548 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 4: So. 549 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 5: I've seen reports that the air traffic controller was assigned 550 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 5: to multiple responsibilities. It's not clear what the facts are 551 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 5: on that, and one of the dangers coming out of 552 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 5: a catastrophic accident is there's a fog of war. There's 553 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 5: people here, a snip at this and the other, and 554 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 5: they repeat it. And I'm a big believer, I will 555 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 5: say the NTSB, I've grown to really respect the work 556 00:33:57,320 --> 00:34:01,920 Speaker 5: they do. They investigate when you have a catastrophic accident, 557 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 5: They investigate based on the facts, based on evidence, and 558 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 5: they do a good job of not jumping to conclusions, 559 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:10,279 Speaker 5: trying to figure out, okay, exactly what happened. So last 560 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 5: Airlines when you had the door plug blowoff, and TSB 561 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,799 Speaker 5: did a very thorough investigation there and presented their conclusions. 562 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 5: And so today we heard from them, but it was 563 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 5: barely twelve hours into the investigation, so they didn't know 564 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 5: a whole lot yet. And I do think and they 565 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 5: will reach a conclusion expeditiously. These guys are serious and 566 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 5: technical and they try to follow the facts, and that 567 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 5: investigation is important. Once we know the facts of what 568 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 5: caused the accident, then we can say, all right, what 569 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,760 Speaker 5: steps can be taken to minimize these risks going forward. 570 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 5: But I do think one of the things I'm merging 571 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 5: my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats. Is is don't get 572 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 5: ahead of ourselves. And by the way, I'll tell you 573 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 5: just a personal aspect to this. So last night, Wednesday night, 574 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:08,880 Speaker 5: I was having dinner in Washington, d C. I was 575 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,240 Speaker 5: having dinner with Mike Waltz. Mike Waltz is President Trump's 576 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:16,360 Speaker 5: national security advisor. And so most nights when I'm in Washington, 577 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 5: d C. I have working dinners. I have dinners with colleagues, 578 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 5: with other senators or House members, I have dinners with 579 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:26,720 Speaker 5: Cabinet members. Sometimes I have dinners with subject matter experts. 580 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 5: So last night I was having dinner with Mike Waltz, 581 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 5: the Trump's national security advisor, and we were talking foreign policy. 582 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 5: We're talking the Middle East. We were talking Israel and 583 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 5: Iran and China and all of the foreign policy challenges 584 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 5: facing this country. And I will tell you right at 585 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 5: the end of the dinner, we actually were just wrapping 586 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:46,880 Speaker 5: up when Mike got a call and said, oh wow, okay, 587 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 5: there's been a collision between a jet and helicopter at 588 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:51,759 Speaker 5: d C. Reagan Airport. So Mike left to go back 589 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 5: to the White House to deal with it. And as 590 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 5: I was walking out, I'll tell you been a particularly 591 00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:02,440 Speaker 5: personal aspect. So last night Heidi was flying into d 592 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 5: C and she was flying into Reagan. 593 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:06,560 Speaker 3: Wow. 594 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 5: And she was due to land about thirty minutes after 595 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 5: this accident happened. And so I'll say, my body man, 596 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 5: who's a great kid, is with me frequently came up. 597 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 5: I'll give him credit what he said to me walking 598 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:24,359 Speaker 5: up as he said, Heidi's okay, but there's been an 599 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,400 Speaker 5: accident at d C Reagan and a commercial jettis hit helicopter. 600 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:31,720 Speaker 5: I was very glad he started with Heidie's okay because 601 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 5: I got to say. 602 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 3: And so what happened. 603 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 5: Her flight was diverted from Reagan and it landed in 604 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:37,399 Speaker 5: BWI for beer. 605 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:37,799 Speaker 2: They don't know. 606 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:42,919 Speaker 5: BWO's Baltimore, Baltimore, Washington, and it's about forty five minutes away. 607 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:46,279 Speaker 5: There are three airports that serve DC Washington. Reagan is 608 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:50,000 Speaker 5: the closest to d C Washington. Dulles's in Northern Virginia 609 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,279 Speaker 5: a little further out, and then BWI Baltimore, Washington is 610 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,280 Speaker 5: like I said, forty five minutes to an hour out. 611 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,319 Speaker 5: So she was diverted and so when she landed, it 612 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:01,840 Speaker 5: was interesting. Texted her immediately said hey, are you okay. 613 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:03,320 Speaker 5: I got no answer because she was still in the 614 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 5: air And then when she landed, I called her immediately, 615 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 5: and as she was getting off the plane, she said, 616 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:11,919 Speaker 5: what happened. I don't understand. Why do we get sent 617 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,239 Speaker 5: to BWI? So they didn't tell the passengers why they 618 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 5: were diverted, And so I told her what had happened, 619 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 5: and she was and I look, I understand, you don't 620 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 5: want to tell passengers on an airplane. Hey, there was 621 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 5: just a plane crash that freaks people out. But I 622 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 5: told her and then she came home. But I got 623 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 5: ad met. It freaked me out a little bit that 624 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:35,400 Speaker 5: my wife was within twenty thirty minutes of where there 625 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:38,520 Speaker 5: was a fatal plane crash at that airport, and you 626 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 5: and I both landed at DCA hundreds of hundreds of 627 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 5: thousands of times, And. 628 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 3: So it's. 629 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 5: I got to say. 630 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:49,800 Speaker 4: I did. 631 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 3: I was. 632 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 5: I said a long prayer and was like, God, thank 633 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 5: you for sparing Heidi. And when she got to our apartment, 634 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:01,480 Speaker 5: I gave her a very long hug. And it's uh. 635 00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:02,360 Speaker 3: And I am. 636 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,319 Speaker 5: Grieving for the sixty seven families who are mourning the 637 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 5: loss of their loved ones. It's horrific and and and 638 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:12,960 Speaker 5: we're certainly grieving them, and we're grateful for all the 639 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:16,640 Speaker 5: first responders and everyone who's been really heroic, uh try 640 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:19,320 Speaker 5: to deal with this, this this catastrophe since it happened. 641 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 1: Well, I also want to just highlight the response was incredible. 642 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,239 Speaker 1: And I'm sure you've got some of that briefing that 643 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,840 Speaker 1: came about this. You know, there's always criticism of we 644 00:38:30,880 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 1: could do things better, but the on the ground first responders' 645 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: response truly seemed unbelievable. How quick they were responding, how 646 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,719 Speaker 1: fast there was so many people there to help. You 647 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 1: were hoping for good news that they were going to 648 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:48,680 Speaker 1: be survivors. We now know that the tragic loss of 649 00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:52,319 Speaker 1: life and were what the reality was. But even in 650 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 1: the recovery, it was all hands on deck and it 651 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 1: made me proud to be an American. I mean, it 652 00:38:57,480 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: was it was truly incredible to watch it in real 653 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 1: time on Yeah. 654 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 5: I talked early this morning to Robert Isam, who's the 655 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 5: CEO of American Airlines. He flew to DC. He was 656 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:11,680 Speaker 5: on the ground. Obviously, they were dealing with sixty passengers 657 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 5: and four crew members who were killed, and they were 658 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 5: dealing with trying to provide help and support to the families, 659 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:20,120 Speaker 5: and I talked to him. I also talked to Sean Duffy, 660 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:23,640 Speaker 5: is the Secretary of Transportation. You know, Seawan was confirmed 661 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 5: the day earlier, like it literally this was his first 662 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 5: day on the job. Yeah, and Shawn is a good 663 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:33,800 Speaker 5: man and a serious man, and he's been diving in 664 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:35,400 Speaker 5: and trying to deal with it. But this is a 665 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,399 Speaker 5: heck of a welcome to be Secretary of Transportation. We've 666 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:42,719 Speaker 5: got a major airplane accident on day one and he's 667 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 5: dealing with it and look the resources to investigate to 668 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:52,400 Speaker 5: try to determine exactly what happened. The NTSB in particular, 669 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 5: they're very good at this, and we're trying to track down. 670 00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:01,000 Speaker 5: Obviously there was a massive mistake, but we need to 671 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 5: figure out who made it and why and and and 672 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,160 Speaker 5: how could it have been prevented so that we can 673 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:09,359 Speaker 5: learn lessons and and try to stop this from happening again. 674 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,560 Speaker 5: I will say this though, also as just to comfort everyone. 675 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:17,800 Speaker 5: As horrific as this is, it is worth remembering that 676 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 5: air travel is is hands down the safest mode of transport. 677 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:26,759 Speaker 5: It and your odds uh of being killed driving to 678 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 5: the airport are still higher than they are being killed 679 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:33,560 Speaker 5: flying on a commercial airline, so they're not zero and 680 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:37,239 Speaker 5: and and in some ways it is amazing given the 681 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:40,720 Speaker 5: flights that occur all over this country in so many places, 682 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:44,239 Speaker 5: that that that that it has been a long time 683 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 5: since we've had a mass fatality accident in the United States, 684 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 5: given how complicated flying is. And in some ways that's remarkable. 685 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 5: But nonetheless, this tragedy, we should do everything we can 686 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:01,000 Speaker 5: to press for for zero fatal and so we're going 687 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 5: to learn lessons from this and try to try to 688 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:04,719 Speaker 5: prevent it from happening again. 689 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: You mentioned something and just you talk about perspective, it 690 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: was it's amazing just how fast things can change. Because 691 00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:15,640 Speaker 1: Sean Duffy, who you know well, and his wife Rachel, 692 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: they have a large family, and he was welcomed just 693 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 1: minutes before at his office and his family was there, 694 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 1: and he walked up to walk into the office where 695 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: he's going to serve the American people. And he went 696 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 1: into that office and then I'm sure afterwards was immediately 697 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:38,160 Speaker 1: rushed out because of what happened. And I sent a 698 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:40,279 Speaker 1: note to is what Rachel last night. I just said, 699 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: you know, I'm so proud and I'm so sorry that 700 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:44,880 Speaker 1: the first night that this is what you're having to 701 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:46,399 Speaker 1: deal with the best that I know, God has put 702 00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:49,280 Speaker 1: y'all there for times like this to lead into comfort, 703 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:52,120 Speaker 1: and I do think the American people shoul understand they're 704 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:55,399 Speaker 1: incredible leaders that we have just gained who are going. 705 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:58,520 Speaker 2: To do an amazing job in times like these. Sean 706 00:41:58,640 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 2: is one of those. 707 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:02,560 Speaker 5: Yeah, and look, I'm grateful that he was on board 708 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:05,200 Speaker 5: and confirmed and was able to be doing his job 709 00:42:05,239 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 5: on the day this accident. Also Pete Hegseth, who was 710 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:10,560 Speaker 5: just confirmed as Secretary of Defense. Listen, this is a 711 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:15,239 Speaker 5: crisis involving the loss of life for three soldiers as 712 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 5: well and the question of who was at fault. There's 713 00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:24,080 Speaker 5: at least some real question whether the military pilots have 714 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 5: committed some serious error. We don't know for sure, but 715 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:32,160 Speaker 5: that you look at Pete Hegseith, you're just confirmed as 716 00:42:32,239 --> 00:42:35,239 Speaker 5: Defense secretary. This is a serious challenge to deal with 717 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:37,480 Speaker 5: in his first couple of days as well, and I'm 718 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:41,000 Speaker 5: grateful both of them were confirmed on the job because 719 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:43,440 Speaker 5: you need strong leadership to deal with with with the 720 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:45,160 Speaker 5: crisis of this magnitude I was. 721 00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:47,160 Speaker 1: Going to ask you my next question quickly was going 722 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: to be the follow up on the military side. We 723 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:53,960 Speaker 1: talked so much about you know, transportation, the airlines and 724 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:56,360 Speaker 1: the CEO and et cetera. But let's talk about the 725 00:42:56,440 --> 00:42:59,239 Speaker 1: military side. There was loss of life there as well. 726 00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:01,040 Speaker 1: What do we know from that perspective. 727 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 5: We know three soldiers were aboard the black Hawk and 728 00:43:04,320 --> 00:43:06,839 Speaker 5: they were all killed. We don't know the details now 729 00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:12,920 Speaker 5: of who made the mistake. Obviously somebody did because this 730 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:15,800 Speaker 5: should not have happened, But we don't know where the 731 00:43:15,880 --> 00:43:19,919 Speaker 5: mistake was, and it's where the investigation, like NTSB will 732 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:25,360 Speaker 5: retrace the exact path of each airline, each aircraft and 733 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 5: figure out, okay, who was not where they were supposed 734 00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:32,839 Speaker 5: to be, who was in the wrong place? Was there 735 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:37,200 Speaker 5: a miscommunication? Look as you review the transcripts, you know 736 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,440 Speaker 5: FA and NTSB told us, at least initially reviewing the 737 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:44,000 Speaker 5: transcript it appeared like when the air traffic controller said, okay, 738 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:46,160 Speaker 5: do you have visual confirmation of the airline and the 739 00:43:46,239 --> 00:43:49,320 Speaker 5: helicopter pilot said yes. What we were told in the 740 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:52,160 Speaker 5: briefing is ordinarily the air traffic controller would move on 741 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:54,520 Speaker 5: say okay, you guys are taken care of onto the 742 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:57,960 Speaker 5: next flight. So that was their initial take. Is that 743 00:43:58,120 --> 00:44:03,359 Speaker 5: exchange a here to be a fairly typical exchange back 744 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:10,320 Speaker 5: and forth of navigating multiple aircraft in close proximity. Nevertheless, 745 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:15,000 Speaker 5: we'll find out as we examine, was there just one 746 00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:18,840 Speaker 5: individual who made an error? Were there multiple individuals? Was 747 00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:23,320 Speaker 5: what was the cause of this? And that I'm confident. 748 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:26,480 Speaker 5: I've told the other members of the Commerce Committee. As 749 00:44:26,719 --> 00:44:30,560 Speaker 5: NTSB reaches conclusions, i'll have another briefing where we sit 750 00:44:30,640 --> 00:44:33,319 Speaker 5: down with them and can ask them, ask them hard 751 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:37,560 Speaker 5: questions and understand, Okay, what really caused this and how 752 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:38,879 Speaker 5: do we prevent it from happening again. 753 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:42,000 Speaker 1: We're going to cover it all every day for you. 754 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:44,800 Speaker 1: Make sure you hit that subscribe auto download button and 755 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:47,880 Speaker 1: I'll see you back here tomorrow on the program.