Last night (May 14), the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to confirm the Biden Administration’s nomination of Jennifer Homendy to another five-year term as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and a second three-year term as chair of the board.
Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., praised Homendy and the unanimous vote. She said, “We’re fortunate that Chair Homendy will continue leading the agency’s critical investigative work with independence and integrity, and will continue advocating for ways to make the nation’s transportation system safer for Americans. I’m glad we were able to reauthorize the NTSB for five years, with new tools and resources needed to thoroughly investigate accidents across the country.”
In March, Homendy angrily disparaged Boeing on the Senate floor for its lack of cooperation in the NTSB’s investigation into the Alaska Airlines door-plug incident. She complained that, two months into the investigation, Boeing had still not supplied the board with the identities of the workers who had replaced the door plug that later departed the aircraft in flight.
“She [Homendy] complained that, two months into the investigation, Boeing had still not supplied the board with the identities of the workers who had replaced the door plug that later departed the aircraft in flight.”
WOW! Why isn’t the press on this story?
They were all over it. You must have missed it
I missed the part of Boeing not willing to let NTSB talk to the employees involved until now.
Was Mrs. Homendy sued by Boeing for disparagement? Last time I checked, dispargement required the publication of false and injurious statements that are derogatory of another’s property, business, or product. I would remember, since I was once threatened with being sued for publishing such statements which later turned out to be… surprisingly factual.
Homendy voiced displeasure with Boeings level of cooperation in these matters. Stonewalling, while being a highly popular doctrine in PR and when responding to authorities, is rather offensive to those tasked with finding out what went on.
A fair appointment. Stonewalling implies guilt and serves only the guilty until called to explain and accept responsibility for some action that was inappropriate to address an issue forthrightly. So far so good.