Dems move to tighten oversight of FAA after 737 Max crashes
WASHINGTON — Three Democratic senators introduced legislation Tuesday to tighten federal oversight of aircraft manufacturers following the deadly crashes of two Boeing 737 Max jets, saying the current setup allowed the company to prioritize profits over safety.
The legislation, the most sweeping so far introduced in the wake of the crashes that killed 346 people, boils down a response to the view among some key lawmakers that the system for approving new aircraft is badly broken. It targets the Federal Aviation Administration’s relationship with industry, which lawmakers have said has been revealed to be too cozy.
“Left to its own devices, the aviation industry has put corporate profits before consumer safety,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, DConn., the effort’s lead sponsor. “When safety is inexcusably compromised like it was by Boeing — certification rushed, whistleblowers gagged, critical information deliberately concealed, speed and earnings prioritized — lives are tragically lost and families devastated.”
The bill would strengthen the FAA’s oversight of engineers who are employed by companies like Boeing but work on the government’s behalf conducting safety approvals, empowering the FAA’s leaders to set standards and requiring regular independent audits.
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been investigating the October 2018 and March 2019 crashes, with an eye to whether aviation safety laws ought to be changed. They have focused in particular on a system called Organization Designation Authorization or ODA, which allows aviation companies to create special units that do safety work on behalf of the FAA.
Critics of the system say the units don’t act as a proper check on the companies and can leave manufacturers like Boeing essentially grading their own homework. But a panel of safety experts convened by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao warned against attempts to overhaul the system, saying changes could undermine collaboration between industry and government, undermining safety rather than bolstering it.
The legislation is also sponsored by Sens. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, and
Edward Markey, D-Mass., and has the support of the Air Line Pilot’s Association and other major transportation unions. But the bill’s ultimate prospects of success in the Republican-controlled Senate are not clear.
Mr. Udall said the crashes proved that aircraft manufacturers can’t be relied on to guarantee safety.
“The American people expect the FAA to be tough, independent and uncompromising when it comes to their safety, and this new bill would restore integrity in the FAA’s certification process,” he said.
The three sponsors of the legislation are members of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees aviation. Sen. Maria Cantwell, DWash., the committee’s top Democrat, has introduced other legislation that is designed to address the challenges posed by new cockpit technology and is backing a proposal to help the FAA attract new employees with technological expertise.
Lawmakers in the House are continuing their investigation, but leading Democrats on the Transportation Committee have said they also expect to introduce legislation. Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said recently that leaving the current system intact would be “the height of irresponsibility.”
An FAA spokesman said the agency doesn’t comment on legislative proposals.
Boeing declined to comment other than saying it was committed to working with the FAA to promote safety.