Tagged: Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking a $4 million penalty from UPS for not complying with federal safety rules. 

The FAA says UPS did not follow federally-approved procedures for maintaining four planes, which allegedly went on more than 400 flights in 2008 and 2009. The agency further says UPS has not entirely complied with an agreement that required the company to check aircraft repairs against maintenance records. The FAA says had UPS followed the agreement, the penalty would not be necessary.

Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers is criticizing the head of the Federal Aviation Administration for the layoffs of air traffic controllers and flight delays at the nation’s airports.

The Somerset Republican told Michael Huerta at an appropriations subcommittee hearing in Washington today that the furloughs took lawmakers by surprise.

Rogers says Congress never heard anything about the possibility from the FAA.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., proposed legislation Tuesday that would forbid the federal government from using aerial drones to watch citizens without a warrant.

The bill is called the "Preserving Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act" and it is aimed at addressing growing privacy concerns over drone use in the country. Earlier this week, an unmanned Navy surveillance drone crashed into Chesapeake Bay and has raised several questions about its domestic usage.

Paul says the government should have restrictions to use drones on citizens, except to patrol national borders, when drones are needed to prevent "imminent danger to life," or when there are risks of a terrorist attack.

"Like other tools used to collect information in law enforcement, in order to use drones a warrant needs to be issued," he says. "Americans going about their everyday lives should not be treated like criminals or terrorists and have their rights infringed upon by military tactics."