At least one serious near-collision at the heavily traveled port was due to conditions that included understaffing, fatigue, stress and the hurried training of newcomers, said pilot Capt.
The incidents occurred just two months after the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report saying that chronic understaffing, mandatory overtime, outdated equipment and inadequate training had contributed to mistakes at O'Hare.
According to the report prepared for the Senate committee, poor regulation and understaffing at the SBA are among the major causes of the current problems.
"The results of understaffing can be devastating for our most vulnerable citizens, such as poverty-stricken elderly, blind and disabled recipients of Supplemental Security Income," the senators wrote.
UNEASY ALLIANCE: Correction officers join an eight-year lawsuit by inmates of the Lee Arrondale state prison in Georgia, protesting understaffing and overcrowding.
Mrs. Dole's announcement comes as critics, including the National Transportation Safety Board, contend persistent understaffing has led to an erosion of safety that could have catastrophic consequences.