by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:10 PM ET, Wed October 18, 2023
The United States Senate Commerce Committee announced that
President Joe Biden’s nominee for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator,
Michael Whitaker, was advanced with unanimous support.
According to Reuters.com,
Whitaker will now move to the full Senate for a formal vote, which Commerce
Committee Chairwoman Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said would take place in
about a week.
“Mr. Whitaker is highly qualified with more than 30 years of
aviation experience in both the public and private sectors,” Sen. Cantwell said.
“I appreciate Mr. Whitaker’s commitment to independent leadership, recruiting
new talent and building a strong safety culture at the FAA.”
Whitaker is currently the chief operating officer at
Supernal, a company that develops electric aircraft, but formerly served as the
FAA’s deputy administrator during the Obama administration. The candidate was also
an executive at United Airlines.
Whitaker is receiving bipartisan support, as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.)
revealed he would support Biden’s candidate after he promised lawmakers he
would “focus on safety and stay out of politics.”
Sen. Cruz said Whitaker’s “extensive aviation experience
makes him well suited to lead our nation’s largest transportation safety agency.”
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public
Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on Whitaker
advancing:
“The committee’s strong bipartisan vote to advance Mike
Whitaker as FAA administrator is proof positive that a decision is finally
within reach for this critical position, which has remained vacant for more
than 18 months.”
“Given the breadth of his credentials, his deep support
across aviation and travel industry groups, and the great needs to modernize
our nation’s air system to meet traveler demand, U.S. Travel urges the Senate
to act swiftly to affirm Mr. Whitaker’s nomination to lead the FAA.”
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