Senate Confirms Robert Sumwalt, Jennifer Homendy to NTSB
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Robert Sumwalt and Jennifer Homendy were confirmed by the Senate on Aug. 1 to continue serving on the National Transportation Safety Board.
Sumwalt, who was confirmed as NTSB chairman in 2017, began his tenure at the board in 2006. His confirmation extends his chairmanship for three years.
He shared with the Senate Commerce Committee last month a vision for the agency. As he put it, “I believe that if we only focus on the superficial causes, then we miss accident prevention opportunities.”
The chamber also confirmed Homendy to a term that expires Dec. 31, 2024. Her tenure with the board began in 2018.
Homendy
She also appeared before the Commerce Committee last month and told senators, “The traveling public counts on us to conduct thorough and objective accident investigations and to issue reports and safety recommendations that are substantiated by evidence and based on facts.”
NTSB is an independent agency tasked with investigating accidents. It publishes a “Most Wanted List” of safety priorities. Reducing fatigue-related accidents is among them.
Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) applauded their confirmations.
“Confirming these nominees supports the administration’s initiatives to address critical transportation safety issues and advance technological and scientific discovery,” Wicker said.
