Hearing on FAA’s oversight failures of Boeing comes days after Secretary Chao released plan to limit regulation at DOT

WASHINGTON – At a House Transportation Committee hearing today, lawmakers slammed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its failure to properly oversee Boeing in the lead up to two devastating 737 MAX crashes. But just days ago, the Department of Transportation (DOT) touted its plan to roll back regulations, a rule that some have criticized as being harmful to public safety. Restore Public Trust released the following statement in response:

“Evidently, the Boeing disasters were not enough to convince Secretary Elaine Chao that public safety should be the Department of Transportation’s top priority,” said Lizzy Price, director of Restore Public Trust. “At the same time that the FAA is getting slammed for putting its cozy relationship with Boeing ahead of people’s safety, Chao wants to roll back regulations at the transportation department. Secretary Chao needs to explain how and why she thinks less oversight will help keep Americans safe.”

Today’s hearing took place days after Elaine Chao talked up her department’s controversial new “rule on rules,” which the secretary claimed will help public safety by limiting regulations. Lawmakers, highway and auto safety advocates alike have expressed concerns that the rule will be harmful to public safety.

Meanwhile, the FAA announced that it will create a new branch focused on safety “to address ‘gaps’ in its oversight” following turmoil in the wake of the Boeing 737 MAX crashes.

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