One Of Dozens Of Presidential Nominations Approved By The Senate On First Day Of 2013

There were no long, drawn-out hearings and pointed questions that often make up the political theater surrounding the confirmation of a Presidential appointee. On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate approved dozens of President Obama's choices for government posts, including Michael Huerta to be FAA Administrator.

Huerta was named acting Administrator over a year ago when Randy Babbitt was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence ... a charge that was later dropped. Huerta will now hold the position for at least five years.

Huerta's confirmation had been held up by South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint, who according to Politico had expressed issues with Huerta's labor policies. DeMint also wanted to be sure that if Mitt Romney had been elected President, the Republican would be able to appoint the person he wanted as FAA administrator. When President Obama was re-elected, DeMint dropped his objections, and the confirmation went forward.

Industry reaction began to come in Tuesday night. "Michael Huerta's proven leadership and clear grasp of the imperatives of NextGen make him the right choice to continue leading the FAA, and we applaud the members of the U.S. Senate for taking this decisive action on his confirmation," said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. "Administrator Huerta's commitment to safety and improved efficiency of our nation's airspace will benefit the traveling public and ensure we continue to build a more vibrant aviation industry that is so important to our nation's economy and workforce."

“GAMA congratulates Michael Huerta on his confirmation by the U.S. Senate as FAA Administrator," said Pete Bunce, president and CEO of GAMA. "During his tenure as FAA Deputy Administrator and Acting Administrator, he has proven to be an effective leader for the FAA. We look forward to continuing our work with him on such critical issues as improving certification processes and practices globally , advancing NextGen and ensuring compatibility with SESAR,  and furthering critical investments in general aviation safety and infrastructure.  Much progress has been made under Mr. Huerta’s direction and the general aviation industry looks forward to working with him to achieve much more in the future.”

FMI: www.faa.gov