Senator Ed Markey on Monday urged lawmakers to summon SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and the acting FAA chief for a public hearing on the agency’s air traffic IT systems. Markey cited Musk’s claims that the outdated FAA telecom network could be compromised, potentially endangering safety amid a disputed multi-billion-dollar contract.
On Monday, Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) pushed for the appointment of Elon Musk (CEO of SpaceX) and the acting head of the FAA to speak before Congress about information technology systems used in air traffic management, Reuters reports.
Reports have surfaced suggesting that Starlink, owned by Musk, may interfere with or perhaps take over a $2.4 billion telecommunications FAA contract with Verizon, a competitor. Musk is also a top adviser to President Trump. The present FAA telecom system has been heavily criticized by Musk.
“The Commerce Committee has a responsibility to immediately hold a public hearing to investigate Musk’s claims on behalf of the American public,” Markey stated.
No comments were made immediately by the FAA, the White House, or Senator Ted Cruz’s (SCC) spokesperson.
According to a spokeswoman, Senator Maria Cantwell, who is the ranking Democrat on the Commerce Committee, backs Markey’s motion for a hearing.
On Monday, Democratic Representative Sharice Davids voiced her significant concern over reports of Elon Musk’s influence with a contract awarded to the FAA through a competitive process, saying that this raises serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Verizon was given a contract by the FAA in 2023 to design, build, and manage the agency’s new next-generation communications infrastructure. The deal has a maximum value of $2.4 billion and will be valid for 15 years.
Although the FAA has stated that it has not yet decided on the deal, Reuters was informed last week by sources that the FAA is now studying the paperwork.
Regarding the FAA’s possible awarding of billions of dollars to private companies controlled by Musk while he serves as a government employee, Democratic Senators Adam Schiff and Tammy Duckworth raised issues about it on Friday.
On Thursday, Musk acknowledged that his claims that Verizon was endangering U.S. air safety were unfounded, since L3Harris is the actual operator of the communications system in question.
A multi-year contract to replace outdated, legacy systems has been initiated by Verizon, the operator of the largest U.S. wireless network.
In response to concerns regarding the reliability of weather reports, the FAA announced last week that it was conducting tests at an Alaskan government site using three Starlink terminals.
Last month, the FAA laid off 350 workers, including some in safety-related roles, as part of a government-shrinkage initiative ordered by DOGE.
A DOGE team of SpaceX engineers dressed as special government personnel paid a visit to FAA facilities last month.
Luis Gochoco is a seasoned managing editor and writer with over a decade of experience covering politics, technology, gaming, and entertainment news. With a keen eye for breaking stories and in-depth analysis, he has established himself as a trusted voice in digital journalism. Luis is one of the key forces behind the success of GameNGuide, contributing to 12 million views through engaging and high-traffic content. He also played a pivotal role in generating 8 million views on International Business Times, shaping the platform’s technology and gaming coverage.
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