Follow-Up: New York Governor Hochul Demands Transportation Secretary Duffy Resign as Congressional Democrats Pursue Accountability for the Nationwide Ground Stop

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on November 14 called on U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to resign immediately or be removed by President Trump, and urged Congress to launch a full investigation into the November 13 nationwide ground stop. Democrats in Congress also spoke out over several days demanding accountability for the stoppage, which lasted more than four hours and left thousands of flights canceled across the country.

"Sean Duffy must resign, or President Trump must remove him immediately," Hochul wrote. She said America's airspace ground to a halt yesterday, leaving thousands of flights canceled and travelers stranded across the country, and that more than 3,500 planes were already in the air as radar and communications systems faltered. "We're fortunate no lives were lost," she wrote. She said that from chronic air traffic controller shortages to repeated communications breakdowns, serious lapses in the aviation system have become a pattern on Duffy's watch, and that "he's been more focused on starring in his own reality show than addressing the crisis at his agency." With millions of Americans preparing to travel for the holidays, she wrote, families deserve answers and confidence in the safety of the skies, and Congress must launch a full investigation to determine what went wrong and ensure it never happens again.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee wrote on social media on November 13, responding to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's explanation of the ground stop: "You brought the nation's skies to a standstill. If you think Congressional Democrats will let you bury how this happened, you are sorely mistaken." The post added: "Preserve all documents and emails. Oversight is coming."

Rep. Rick Larsen, the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. André Carson, the ranking Democrat on its Aviation Subcommittee, said in a joint statement: "Our committee, on behalf of the flying public, will hold the administration accountable for what happened to make sure this chaos does not happen again." According to CNN, the two lawmakers also said FAA and Transportation Department officials are to brief committee staff on Monday on the administration's request for an additional $30 billion to upgrade the air traffic control system; they questioned the request, noting that the administration has spent only about $1 billion of the $12.5 billion Congress approved for upgrades in 2025, and wrote: "Explain to Congress, again, why they need more money?"

Sen. Maria Cantwell, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said her committee would review technology issues related to how aircraft communicate, including through primary and backup frequencies. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the ranking Democrat on the Senate aviation subcommittee, wrote on social media: "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." Responding to Duffy's criticism of Congress, she also wrote: "You've literally controlled Congress for the past two years. And apparently, there's always been money for vanity projects. But none to fix our air traffic control system?"

Democrats won majorities in both chambers in this month's midterm elections, but the new Congress does not take office until January, so the promised investigations and oversight remain statements of intent for now. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on November 14 that Republicans would focus on securing more funding for FAA upgrades, adding that "we don't really need any investigation to understand we need further investment." Homeland Security Secretary Mullin has defended the administration's response, saying officials moved at an "unprecedented pace."

Related: Follow-Up: Duffy Says a Single Router Flooded the Air Traffic Network in the Nationwide Ground Stop; 17 of 22 Centers Affected, Over 5,000 Saturday Flights Canceled

Related: Follow-Up: Sky Harbor Still Reeling from Ground Stop; American Cancels 93 Flights on Nov. 14, Lawmaker Demands Duffy Testify (Source: Office of the Governor of New York)

Source: Office of the Governor of New York

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：纽约州州长 Kathy Hochul 在记者会上讲话（2025年10月，资料图）。Marc A. Hermann／大都会运输署（MTA）摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons，本图已裁为 16:9。 / Photo: New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference (October 2025, file photo). Photo by Marc A. Hermann / Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped to 16:9.

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