U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to confirm Mike Whitaker to serve as the next Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration:
“I commend the U.S. Senate for quickly confirming Mike Whitaker to lead the FAA. With his three decades of aviation experience, including his time as FAA’s Deputy Administrator, Mike has earned broad bipartisan support because it’s clear he has the expertise and disposition to successfully lead the agency from day one.
“Mike will take the reins at a pivotal time for the FAA. 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. Mike is also well-versed on the critical need to modernize the key systems our national aviation system rely 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.
“Finally I want to thank Deputy Secretary Trottenberg for superbly leading the FAA over the past five months in an acting capacity and moving the agency forward on safety and funding initiatives. She is an indispensable leader in this administration, and I look forward to having her fully back at DOT Headquarters to help guide our work across the Department.”
