The Hill - Bill Would Overhaul Hiring Procedures for Air Traffic Controllers

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By Cristina Marcos

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.

The bill would establish a preferred status for graduates of college training initiative programs and veterans for air traffic controllers, as well as do away with biographical questionnaires also known as "Bio Qs."

Hultgren said the questionnaires did not properly evaluate candidates' qualifications.

"Psychological assessments are important, especially for high-stress jobs. But disqualifying highly-trained, certified graduates because they did or did not play sports in high school, as one Bio Q question asked, is ridiculous," Hultgren said.

Lipinski further argued that the FAA had been dismissing candidates from college training programs and veterans with air traffic control experience.

"Now, with these hastily implemented hiring procedures, the FAA is turning its back on the students and brave veterans that should be the backbone of our air traffic control system, in favor of a process that lacks transparency," Lipinski said.

Additionally, the measure would create an advisory committee to recommend changes to the FAA's hiring practices and submit an annual report to Congress.

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