House chairman sam graves is hear and we will hear from you soon. Chairman graves along with my colleague Ranking Member larson have worked hard on a bipartisan bill to pass a longterm faa reauthorization, so we thank you for that and im hopeful that we will be able to do the same here in a bipartisan fashion and finalize the bill into law before the end of 2023. This is a reminder that the aviation safety and the job of running the faa are not partisan endeavors, they are ensuring strong leadership at the top of americas chief aviation regulator and this should be our common goal. Mr. Whitakers nomination has drafted broad support not only from across the aisle but across from the Aviation Community. Supported by the aviation workforce, pilots, attend answers and enjoys broad support in the private sector of aviation. The foundation of support will serve well because the faa administrator has a big job over 44,000 workers across multiple lines of business from airports to air Traffic Control to aviation safety and each day they help keep americans moving safely. 25,000 u. S. Airline flights carrying 2. 5 million passengers across the country and around the world. Today he will come before the committee with more than 30 years of diverse experience in aviation including executive leadership in the private sector and 3year serving as faa deputy administrator. He led the faas modernization of the National Air Space system known shorthand as next gen and i hope he will be able to illuminate today the progressog that weve made important milestones that we have achieved and what we need to know to get it finally implemented. Mr. Whitaker will bring a commitment to advancing aviation safety and appreciate his support by families who have lost loved oness and who have been very dedicated to improving aviation safety. But there are challenge that is remain. Aviation system is under stress demonstrated by near misses and closed calls and we need to her about a plan on how to tackle across the y skies and we look forward to learning how he will be able too build a strong safey culture, attract new talent and renew leadership at the faa. Century innovations and if confirmed he will have the opportunity to lead the modernization into the next era and telling us exactly how to get that done. To be the world leader in aviation, the United States must be a strong voice for safety at the international, Civil Aviation organization, icao. You have over 30 years of experience in aviation including executive roles on these Important International issues and we hope that your leadership will help the World Community continue its safety focus. We need to learn how the f. A. A. Will effectively raise the Global Safety baron Pilot Training bar on Pilot Training and Human Factors of f. The families of tragedies were critical in helping Congress Pass legislation, the aircraft certification, safety and accountability act. They support your nomination, as i mentioned. And we expect and understanding this morning on how youre going to carry out the further implementation of these critical safety reforms. The American Public deserves the safe, reliable, effective air transportation system, our economy depends on it and if confirmed youll have the opportunity not only to lead the f. A. A. , but shape americas future of aviation along with nasa. These are challenging times. But the Aviation Community and the leadership across many spectrums have the ability to get this job done and get it done correctly. So i welcome and thank you for your willingness to serve and take that leadership role in helping us. I now am going to im awaiting my colleague who has to run to judiciary, so im going to allow our colleague, senator welsh, to make an Opening Statement and then ill turn to representative graves. Sen. Welch you left out one very important fact. Hes my neighbor. Lives down the dirt road. You go down brag hill and up over a little hill and take a little left and there they are on the same dirt road. Down the street in vermont. So its wonderful to have michael here. Mary and joe. You did outline his public experience, his private experience, and i was going to do that, but youve done it so well that i dont think we need to add to it. But i do want to say a couple of things. With this extraordinary experience he has, first as a pilot, lifelong pilot, and with that constant concern about safety, because he has people hes had people he loves in his own plane, with his experience at the f. A. A. , where you have this huge, important agency, and he had the responsibility to make it work and the implementation of a very Important Program you mentioned, and then with his experience in the private sector, with United Airlines, and the very responsible big jobs he had there, how can you have more experience in every phase of whats required, to have our Flight Systems be safe, to have performance be solid, and to have the managerial experience to kind of create the team and the culture thats necessary for a wellfunctioning f. A. A. Its something that he and i spoke about at a store where, if you dont have it, you dont need it. Thats the Famous Country store. So that broad depth of experience in that decision, and this is what i also really appreciate, at a time in his life when he was doing fine, he lives on a nice place, brag hill, if anyone wants to see it, its a nice place, he wanted to serve. And we so need that in this country. To have people with the benefit of a lifelong career in the public and private sector deciding, you know what, i want to serve. So that gives me just immense confidence that were going to have a tremendous director and i yield back. Sen. Cantwell thank you, senator welch. Thank you for that very personal view of the nominee and good to know that that road might come in handy sometime for some message delivery. [laughter] representative graves, welcome, before the committee. Thank you so much. Unless senator moran, did you want to, as the subcommittee chair, make a statement . Sen. Moran [indiscernible] sen. Cantwell thank you. Representative graves, thank you so much for being here. Mr. Graves of course. Thank you, madam chair. And members of the committee. Theres a lot of familiar faces on this committee and i like that. I also very much appreciate the opportunity. It is an honor to be here today to support Michael Whitaker for administrator to the federal aviation administration. And this is a crucial time for aviation and for the f. A. A. Steadfast leadership at the f. A. A. Is paramount if we as a nation are to remain the Global Leader in aviation safety and innovation. A goal that i know this committee and the nominee unequivocally support. Its been a year and a half since the previous administrator stepped down. If you think about it, safety is dependent on consistency and unfortunately the only thing that has been consistent at the agency since the former administrator departed is the growing list of acting positions across the agency. 18 months without an f. A. A. Administrator is troubling. The American People deserve a confirmed leader who has a deep knowledge in and a passion for that matter for aviation. And because of that, im honored and pleased to introduce Michael Whitaker, hes a very qualified nominee that has been put forward for your consideration. Mr. Whitaker is currently the chief operating officer for an advanced air Mobility Company which is an aviation sector thats propelling american aviation to new heights and demands both regulatory stability and innovation. Having previously served as the f. A. A. Deputy administrator, mrt takes to helm the agency that hes been nominated to lead and hes also served many years, obviously, in the travel and airline industries. As a professional pilot myself, i appreciate the fact that he too is a g. A. Pilot. Ive spoken to him on many occasions and visited with him about the need to pass on that passion to the next generation of Young Americans and to be an advocate for aviation overall. The bottom line is is that having mr. Whitaker confirmed as the f. A. A. Administrator will help provide muchneeded certainty for the f. A. A. And the Aviation Industry, which is pivotal right now in this moment in history. In addition to confirmation of an f. A. A. Nominee, id be remiss if i didnt point out that enacting a longterm f. A. A. Reauthorization bill will bring muchneeded certainty to the Aviation Industry. The bipartisan bill that passed out of the house in july by a vote of 35169 is a fiveyear bill. And while your Committee Works toward passage of companion legislation, our shared commitment to enactment of a longterm f. A. A. Bill guarantees that the next administrator will be charged with implementing the final product of our work. This adds enormous consequence to the nomination responsibility of mr. Kit we are if he is confirmed a whitaker if he is confirmed. I want to be clear, if expect that if hes confirmed that we will not agree on everything. However, i do believe that we will have a very strong working relationship, just as ive had with his predecessors. And like his predecessors from both democrat administrations and republican administrations, i want to see him be successful in the role because that is what is in the best interest of the american Aviation Industry and in the best interest of the American People. I fought hard against the previous nominee whose lack of relevant experience was greatly concerning and thats also why im here today supporting mr. Whitaker, because i believe he is the right person for this job. As the chairman of the transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the house, my job is to hold the administration and any administrator of the f. A. A. Accountable for their actions to conduct rigorous oversight and to ensure that they are following the legislative intent of any piece of legislation that Congress Passes. And rest assured, i will do just that. But i also want to express my support for this committees consideration today of a nominee who has ex tensive qualifications extensive qualifications in the aifngation field aviation field and who is very familiar with the f. A. A. , with its importance, with its intricacies and with its shortcummings. I believe mr. With shortcomings. I believe mr. Whitaker has the experience that the f. A. A. Administrator deplanneds and demands and prepared to deliver the strong leadership thats needed to the f. A. A. Today more than ever before. I want to thank you for your time and hope the committee favorably approves mr. Whitakers nomination and acts swiftly on finalizing an f. A. A. Reauthorization. So thank you very much and i yield back. Sen. Cantwell thank you, representative graves. Again, look forward to working with you in that bipartisan fashion to get this over the goal line legislatively by the end of the year. So thank you for that. Senator cruz. Sen. Cruz thank you, madam chair. I want to welcome senator graves. Hope that weve been hospitable, maybe giving you a decent cup of coffee this morning. You dont have to answer that. [laughter] good morning, welcome, everyone. Mr. Whitaker, welcome. A snow native, something im always glad to see. Every day some three million passengers board commercial flights in and out of u. S. Airports, with the confidence that they will safely arrive at their destinations. The public trust is the result of a nearly eightdecade collaboration between the Aviation Industry and the federal aviation administration. The f. A. A. Manages 29 million square miles of air space. It ensures that aircraft and pilots meet the highest Safety Standards. And it is the f. A. A. That will ensure the safe integration of drones, air taxis and, one day, commercial space flight. When it comes to aviation safety, the buck stops with the f. A. A. We are here today to consider the nomination of Michael Whitaker for the f. A. A. Administrator. This is a crucially Important Role. The next administrator will face serious challenges in rebuilding the f. A. A. After, unfortunately, 18 months without a senateconfirmed leader. Among those challenges, staffing critical air Traffic Control facilities, modernizing antiquated air traffic systems, and bringing f. A. A. Employees back in person after three years of telework. Mr. Whitaker is President Bidens second nominee to be f. A. A. Administrator. The first was rejected by both republicans and democrats on this committee for his lack of relevant experience. Im glad that the administration has heeded my advice and nominated a person with significant experience in aviation, mr. Whitaker. Mr. Whitaker previously served as the second in command at the f. A. A. And has roughly three decades of aviation experience. As i have said since we received mr. Whitakers nomination, im willing to keep an open mind and give him fair consideration on the merits. I want to hear how hes going to address the challenges facing the f. A. A. And the Aviation Industry should he be confirmed. I also want to ensure that mr. Whitaker will focus on the f. A. A. s primary responsibility, ensuring the safety of our National Aerospace system, while having the fortitude and the clarity of mind to question assumptions and to push back against special interests. Congress gives the administrator a fiveyear term because the f. A. A. Is not a political organization. Its not intended to be a political organization. And we must keep politics out of the f. A. A. Today mr. Whitaker has the opportunity to explain to members of this committee his vision for a stagnant agency. One that is in desperate need of strong and independent leadership, willing to challenge the status quo. Mr. Whitaker, i look forward to hearing why you believe you are that independent leader and how you will meet the serious challenges faced by the f. A. A. And the Aviation Industry. Thank you. Sen. Cantwell thank you, senator cruz. Again, representative graves, thank you for being here. Mr. Whitaker, if youd come up and take an opportunity to introduce anybody you would like to introduce this morning before you give your Opening Statement. Mr. Whitaker thank you, chair cantwell. Rankerring member cruz. Members of the committee. Its an honor to appear before you today as President Bidens nominee for administrator of the f. A. A. Im grateful for this bipartisan introduction and support from my fellow vermonter and neighbor, senator welch. And also from house transportation chairman, sam graves, who has been very supportive throughout this process. I thank you both. I would not be here today if it wasnt for the love and support of my family, especially my wife, mary, who is here with me today, who has been patient and amazingly supportive throughout this process. Were here with our son joe and our daughter jordan who is watching from vermont. To begin id like to acknowledge secretary buttigieg and deputy secretary trottenberg for the Exceptional Leadership that they have shown in ensuring the f. A. A. Remains focused on its Critical Mission to provide the safest and most efficient Aerospace System in the world. Throughout my career, i have believed in this mission, not only during my previous tenure at the f. A. A. , but as an Airline Executive and now as i focus on emerging tech nothings in our air space. If confirmed i will apply my 32 years of aviation experience to lead the 44,000 dedicated professionals at the f. A. A. Who work in every u. S. State and territory and across the globe to meet this mission. I began my aviation career as an attorney for transworld airlines, then rose through the ranks of United Airlines from senior counsel in a Regulatory Group to Senior Vice President of Alliances International and regulatory affairs. More recently, i have worked with emerging aviation technologies such as small, Unmanned Systems and electric propulsion. However, the key experience that qualifies me for this position and that will allow me to make an Immediate Impact at the f. A. A. Is my threeyear tenure there as deputy administrator. During this time, i gained significant Technical Knowledge of the complex systems that make up the National Air Space. And while at f. A. A. , i also earned my private pilot certificate to better understand the National Air Space from the perspective of a user of that system. If confirmed, my priority will be the safety of the flying public. They have put their trust in the f. A. A. To keep aviation the safest