Nomination of Michael G. Whitaker
Floor Speech
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Mr. WELCH. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak about the nomination of Michael Whitaker of Vermont to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Yesterday, as you know, his nomination was reported unanimously out of the Senate Commerce Committee in which we both serve. That was by voice vote, with all the Members of the Commerce Committee overwhelmingly agreeing in a bipartisan fashion that Mr. Whitaker should lead the FAA. This is welcome after 18 months of having no one leading the FAA.
It is not surprising that he had such strong support. Why? Michael Whitaker is immensely qualified, with over 30 years of experience in aviation, both in the public sector and in the private sector. His background and knowledge of the industry is formidable.
First, Michael is a longtime aviator, so he has practical concern about safety in the air and personal experience about flying.
Second, he has real experience running large and complex systems. During his time as the Deputy Administrator at the FAA from 2013 to 2016, Mike helped the FAA upgrade to satellite-enabled surveillance technology. He managed cybersecurity threats and chaired an interagency committee coordinating safety and security enhancements in our airspace. He made flying safer.
Third, he has relevant private sector experience. While in the private sector, Mike has worked on strategy operations for some of the world's largest travel companies. They include United Airlines, InterGlobe Enterprises, and Trans World Airlines. He will bring those management skills--that capacity to build a team and organize systems in his forward-thinking vision--to the FAA.
Fourth, Mike's focus is on performance, and his commitment to safety is absolute. That is something that the FAA is primarily responsible for, and it is an awesome responsibility that Mr. Whitaker has taken seriously every day of his life while he has served in both private and public positions in aviation.
Mike is a Vermonter--a small-town person who lives in a small town in Vermont, but he has got big-time experience. He understands the importance of ensuring that everyone is represented, and he knows the realities of what the industry and the FAA needs to succeed.
With Mike in the cockpit of the FAA, our skies will be safer, and he will work tirelessly to ensure that Americans across the country can fly safely and seamlessly wherever they please with as few disruptions as possible. We urgently need a full-time FAA administrator, and Michael Whitaker of Vermont is the ideal candidate for that role.
I urge my colleagues to support his nomination.
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