“I want to thank my friend Toby Hauck for his service as an air traffic controller. He worked for many years. I hope the government hires more air traffic controllers. I want Congress to spend money on airports in my state. We need more money spent on the air traffic controllers near me. I want more money for towers and programs in my state.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, being an air traffic controller is a hard, often thankless job. The hours are long, the stakes are astronomically high, and the work is essential to millions of families across America who are anxious to see their loved ones. Today, I would like to salute one of the best who ever served in that critical job: my friend Toby Hauck. Toby is a veteran. He served 6 years in the U.S. Air Force, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both of whom also served in the U.S. military. After Toby left the Air Force, he wanted to find a job that would allow him to continue to serve his country, which led him to the air traffic control. Toby rose through the ranks at air traffic control, eventually becoming president of the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center. For 38 years, Toby was responsible for keeping millions of airline passengers--including myself--safe as they flew in and out of Chicago. With what little free time he had, Toby spent it advocating for his fellow air traffic controllers both in Washington and Illinois as a 28- year member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. At NATCA, Toby served as its Illinois State coordinator, where he pushed for better pay, staffing, and benefits for his coworkers. Those at NATCA knew Toby as simply ``the Tob''; his colleagues described him as someone who ``always makes time for a fist bump and a smile, greeting everyone he sees by name.'' In May, NATCA awarded Toby the Dale Wright Award for exceptional career service, which speaks not only to his character, but to his reputation nationwide. I have known Toby for many years. In 2019, he was my guest to the State of the Union, and he has worked diligently with me to try and improve the conditions for air traffic controllers in my State and across the country. As Toby knows, air traffic controllers have too often, and unfairly, been caught in the middle of government shutdowns, forced to continue their work--still understaffed and overworked with the same high stakes--but also with no paycheck. Since I have met Toby, during every shutdown, he has gathered a group of local controllers to share the real-life impacts of partisan stalemates, which include controllers setting up food pantries for their peers, failing to afford medical treatment for themselves or their families, and struggling to pay their bills. These stories have informed my votes and again highlighted how thankless, yet crucial, the work of a controller is. Toby is truly the best of the best, and last month, after 38 years of service, he retired from his job as an air traffic controller. While Chicago will certainly miss Toby protecting its skies, I am sure his wife Darla will appreciate having him home. Fortunately, Toby will not be leaving his advocacy for air traffic controllers behind; he will remain working with NATCA in an advocacy role. I hope the whole Senate will join me in thanking Toby for his service and congratulating him and Darla on this milestone. And there is a large list of air traffic controller priorities that must be tackled--especially at our Nation's and the world's busiest airport, found right at home in Chicago. Last year, more than 850,000 aircraft landed or took off from O'Hare, more than any other airport in the world. O'Hare is central to the national aviation system and is a leading hub for connections. Yet the flight towers that manage its airspace are staffed well below the targets established by both NATCA and the FAA by 25 percent. That means the air traffic controllers who are at these towers are forced to work longer hours and additional shifts, taking a significant toll on their mental health. In a job that requires split-second and lifesaving decisions, it is dangerous to add more stress and fatigue into the equation. This is why Congress allocated $22.2 billion for the FAA for fiscal year 2026 to hire an additional 2,500 new air traffic controllers. I urge the FAA to put that investment to good use and prioritize O'Hare as new controllers become trained and as new technology and infrastructure upgrades become available. Ensuring that there is proper staffing at towers around Chicago will become even more essential as O'Hare nears the completion of its Terminal Area Plan project, which will increase gate capacity at O'Hare by roughly 25 percent. This project was designed to accommodate growth for airlines and ensure that O'Hare remains competitive as a world- class airport for decades to come. I hope the FAA will give full and fair consideration of any requests from O'Hare to assist in this expansion, whether that be via requests for Federal grant funding or FAA resources. As more Americans take to the skies every day, it is our job in Congress to support the men and women, like Toby, who keep them safe on their journey. Let's show our gratitude to these public servants by ending the understaffing, irregular paychecks, and insufficient workforce investment that have plagued their work for far too long. It is the least we can do for the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting us every time we fly.
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