NTSB Candidate Alvin Brown on Senate’s Fall Agenda
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A vote on the nomination of Alvin Brown to join the National Transportation Safety Board is on the Senate’s legislative radar this fall.
Nearly four months after a committee approved his nomination to take part in the independent agency, Brown awaits a vote before the full Senate. Democratic leaders have signaled the likelihood of considering a slew of Biden administration nominees before the end of the year.
The Commerce Committee reported his nomination in July. If confirmed, Brown, formerly the mayor of Jacksonville, Fla., would sit on the NTSB through 2026.
As part of his nomination process, Brown responded to a variety of questions from senators on the panel. Specific to field investigative hearings, the nominee noted an ongoing investigation into this year’s freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
“When appropriate, the NTSB should conduct more field hearings and possibly look for other opportunities to engage impacted communities during the investigative process when field hearings are not feasible,” Brown told senators. “The field hearing in East Palestine shows that it is important to be transparent and engage with communities.”
Cantwell
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chairwoman of the Commerce Committee, issued a strong endorsement of Brown.
“The NTSB board needs hardworking and dedicated individuals who put safety as their top priority,” she said, “and I believe that Mayor Brown will do so on behalf of the American people.”
In 2022, the White House applauded Brown’s record as mayor, indicating that “Jacksonville became one of America’s leading cities for innovation and improving quality of life.”
“Brown achieved numerous successes in Jacksonville with bold and collaborative approaches to many modern challenges,” per the White House.
Whitaker
Relatedly, on Oct. 24 the Senate confirmed Michael Whitaker to lead the Federal Aviation Administration. Whitaker’s nomination had easily advanced to the chamber floor for consideration.
“Mr. Whitaker is highly qualified with more than 30 years of aviation experience in both the public and private sectors,” Cantwell said.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves (R-La.) congratulated Whitaker in a joint statement: “This is a critical time for aviation, and the FAA has been without an administrator for far too long. Mr. Whitaker’s confirmation will provide much needed stability and certainty for the agency and the broader aviation industry as a whole.”
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (left) and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also praised Whitaker while detailing the agency’s role in passenger and freight connectivity.
“Mike will take the reins at a pivotal time for the FAA,” he said. “The national airspace is busier and more complex than ever and the challenges are many, from addressing serious close-call incidents that have put the entire aviation community on notice, to the need to keep up the FAA’s momentum on air traffic control hiring and training, to continuing to be creative and collaborative with airlines to keep cancellations low after the spike in disruptions last summer.
Welcome aboard, Administrator Whitaker! Under your leadership, we'll continue to modernize our FAA and achieve an even higher standard in aviation safety. pic.twitter.com/QzvS9g4nmW — U.S. Department of Transportation (@USDOT) October 27, 2023
“Mike is also well-versed on the critical need to modernize the key systems our national aviation system [relies] on. As with all infrastructure, inadequate investments in modernization — from buildings to software — can leave the entire system more vulnerable to failures, so we must work closely with Congress to ensure the FAA remains the gold standard of safety and efficiency.”
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