Committee Advances Darling’s FMCSA Nomination to Full Senate
The nomination of Scott Darling to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was easily advanced by the Senate Commerce Committee on March 3.
Members did not debate the nominee’s qualifications as they reported him to the full Senate by a voice vote. Advancing Darling’s nomination to the floor suggests an effort by the part of Senate Republican leaders to respond to the regulatory environment at the agency.
During his confirmation hearing in January, Darling told the Commerce Committee the agency planned to advance myriad regulations and proposals regarding safety. Speaking on FMCSA’s proposed safety fitness determination rule, Darling told the panel it would help clarify which carriers would be deemed suitable to operate. “It will be clearly beneficial to them,” he said.
But Darling’s overall comments raised concerns among key senators, such as Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who said she would prefer to have FMCSA focusing on advancing provisions in the FAST Act 2015 highway law.
Darling, the agency’s acting administrator, was nominated by President Obama in August to the administrator role. Prior to FMCSA, Darling was deputy chief of staff and assistant general counsel at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the public transit agency serving the greater Boston area.
American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves said the trade federation is “pleased that Mr. Darling’s nomination will now go to the full Senate.”
"Scott has signaled his strong commitment to highway safety, and partnering with the trucking industry to further improve professional driver and truck safety. We look forward to his confirmation and to continuing our working relationship,” Graves told Transport Topics.
