Based in Washington, Jen manages Aviation Week’s worldwide defense, space and security coverage.
Prior to taking on her current role, Jen was Aviation Week's Congressional Editor. Jen came to Aviation Week in March 2011 from Politico, where she covered the intersection of defense and politics. She also worked as a reporter and editor for Defense Daily, Inside the Army, The Other Paper and The Columbus Dispatch.
Jen received a Master’s degree in journalism as a Kiplinger Fellow at the Ohio State University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from the University of Michigan.
The top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee is asking the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to stop operation of its Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique (SPOT), a program that uses officers to assess passenger behavior, which is again facing racial profiling allegations. In an Aug. 13 letter, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) asks TSA Administrator John Pistole to conduct a third-party study of its scientific premise, a comprehensive risk assessment and a cost-benefit analysis before the program should continue.
A new study estimates that potential across-the-board budget cuts to the FAA could amount to an $18.4 billion blow to the economy, including the loss of up to 73 million passenger enplanements and 2 billion lb. of airfreight. Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta called the study, released Aug. 13 by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), “very significant” and urged Congress to take action. “Let’s not let the FAA be victimized by budget politics,” he said.
Debate over a potential $1 trillion government-wide budget reduction next year has largely focused on the defense industry. But during congressional testimony recently, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget opened what might be a new lobbying front in the fight over the penalty known as sequestration, saying the FAA’s operations account could be in line for “significant” reductions.
