Says There Must Be "National Consensus" On The Subject

Transportation Secretary Designate Elaine Chao faced the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday for her confirmation hearing, giving few specifics on some pending aviation issues.

The FAA's spending authorization is set to expire on September 30, and the issue of ATC privatization is likely to come up again when Congress debates another long-term spending bill for the agency. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), an opponent of the idea, said there are major disagreements between the House and the Senate on the issue. He asked Chao her opinion. She responded that there needs to be national consensus on the topic, and "the administration has not made a decision on this point."

USA Today reports that Chao said that the country needs to devote more resources to work on infrastructure, including airports, but did not give specifics about funding sources. She also would only say that she looks forward to working with the committee on issues such as Norwegian Air Shuttle and Middle-Eastern carriers that some claim are getting unfair subsidies from their governments.

But from NextGen to self-driving cars, Chao said that "Safety will continue to be the primary objectives. Regulatory decisions should be rooted in analysis derived from sound science and data."

(Image from file)

FMI: www.commerce.senate.gov