NEWS: Senator Blunt Rochester Questions Key Department of Transportation and Consumer Safety Nominees

"It's a mission-critical focus, and we owe it to the victims' families, in particular, to get this right"

Click here to watch Senator Blunt Rochester's remarks.

U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today questioned Trump administration nominees for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Surface Transportation Board (STB), Department of Transportation, and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). During her remarks she discussed the tragic January 2025 plane crash at Regan National Airport, which claimed the lives of Delawareans, and emphasized the importance of passing legislation that closes safety gaps. She also discussed modernizing the CPSC to keep up with the rapidly evolving consumer marketplace and transportation infrastructure safety investments.

Witnesses Included:

• Thomas Chapman, Nominee to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
• Edward Eppler, Nominee to be Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Transportation
• Karen Hedlund, Nominee to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
• Brian Lorenze, Nominee to be Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Karen Sessions, Nominee to be Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission

Senator Blunt Rochester's full remarks and exchange can be found here, a key excerpt is included below:

Senator Blunt Rochester: "I understand that you weren't involved in the tragic DCA midair collision investigation, but that you are fully supportive of the final recommendations, correct?"

Mr. Chapman: "That is correct.

Senator Blunt Rochester: "Thank you for confirming that. Can you please identify the most urgent recommendation from the final report in your estimation?"

Mr. Chapman: "The centerpiece of the recommendations, and NTSB made 50 recommendations, but the centerpiece is absolutely one recommending requiring Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADSB) in all air space where ADSB out is currently required."