Washington, D.C. — In response to news that the United States Senate has voted to confirm Michael G. Whitaker to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.

“We’re thrilled to see Whitaker’s swift confirmation as Administrator of the FAA at such a critical time in the aviation industry,” said William J. McGee, Senior Fellow for Aviation and Travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. “The enormous responsibilities of the Administrator of the FAA cannot be overstated in respect to protecting the health and safety of passengers, employees, and the public at large by overseeing airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers, personnel, and America’s entire aviation ecosystem. With varied experience working at the FAA and in the airline industry, it’s clear that Mr. Whitaker is absolutely qualified to serve in this important role. We look forward to working with him to promote a safe and resilient airline system in the U.S. for passengers and workers alike.”

Despite the urgent need for strong leadership at the head of such a safety-critical agency, the role of FAA Administrator has been politicized in recent decades, across multiple Administrations. There have been five Acting Administrators at the helm of the FAA since 2007, and partisan politics in Congress has contributed to lengthy gaps in approving nominees. While the Acting Administrators are capable of running day-to-day operations for the world’s largest aviation agency and busiest air traffic control network, the FAA is hampered from implementing long-term safety goals without a permanent Administrator in office, including the critical goal of alleviating understaffing.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.