Rep. Jim Gerlach's (R-Pa.) transportation aide has left to work on behalf of the nation's air traffic controllers, an interest group Gerlach has long championed.
Allie Valocchi joined the National Air Traffic Controllers Association this month as a political and legislative representative. The NATCA, which currently represents 20,000-plus controllers across the nation, is an affiliated trade organization of the AFL-CIO. Last year, the Washington, D.C.-based group lobbied against FAA furloughs, pay freezes and other possible negative consequences of the federal government shutdown.
While many unions have taken a generally dim view of Gerlach's legislative record, he has been a long-time friend of air traffic controllers. Gerlach is a cosponsor of H.R. 3578, a bill that slow-rolls the Federal Aviation Administration's attempts to test air traffic controllers for sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. And NATCA is one of his biggest campaign contributors over his career, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
For the past three years, the American University graduate has worked with Pennsylvania's Republican delegation. She started her government career as a staff assistant for Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) before becoming Gerlach's legislative correspondent. Eventually, Valocchi was promoted to be the congressman's legislative assistant for transportation, telecommunications and science issues among other policy areas.
