Two senior Senate Democrats say they will scrutinise the FAA over the nationwide ground stop. Tammy Duckworth, the Senate Aviation Subcommittee ranking member, wrote on X on 13 November that she will demand answers from the agency.
"Whatever led to the nationwide ground stop will warrant a thorough and complete investigation. As Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member, I'll be demanding answers from the FAA."
Duckworth also wrote, "The safety of our skies is built on redundancies." Just the News reports that she signalled a formal investigation.
Maria Cantwell, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said in a post on X that her team was in contact with the FAA. "Technology issues related to how planes communicate through primary frequencies, backup frequencies, and other issues will be something the Commerce Committee will be reviewing," she said.
MS NOW reports that Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he had not been told the cause. It notes that as a member of the Gang of Eight he would typically be briefed if national security were involved.
Scripps News quotes a congressional official as saying the White House, the NSC and the Defense Department did not know the cause, which the official said suggested "an FAA problem" rather than a national security one. That account has not been independently checked.
Just the News also reports that House Homeland Security Democrats claimed the administration is "out of its depth".