[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6926]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING DEBORAH HERSMAN FOR HER SERVICE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL 
                      TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 6, 2014

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the distinguished 
tenure of Deborah Hersman, who is leaving as Chairman of the National 
Transportation Safety Board after serving 10 years on the Board and 
five years as chairman.
  Ms. Hersman, 43, is a resident of Lorton, Virginia, in my district. 
She is the daughter of a retired Air Force Brigadier General and spent 
much of her childhood abroad before her family settled in Northern 
Virginia, where she attended Chantilly High School. While in college at 
Virginia Tech, Ms. Hersman interned in the office of Congressman Bob 
Wise of West Virginia. After graduation, she returned to Congressman 
Wise's office, ultimately serving as a senior legislative aide. After 
several years working on the House side, she joined the staff of the 
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where she 
rose to the position of Staff Director.
  In 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Ms. Hersman to a 5-year 
term on the NTSB. President Obama reappointed her in 2009 and also 
nominated her as Chairman, making her the youngest person to serve in 
that role at age 39. Ms. Hersman has presided over the NTSB during a 
very active period for the organization. She has presided over a number 
of high-profile accident investigations, including the collision of two 
Metro Red Line trains, the airplane crash involving Senator Ted Stevens 
in 2010, and the collision between two freight trains in Oklahoma in 
2012. In the face of all those tragedies, and dozens more, Ms. Hersman 
displayed remarkable poise and provided a reassuring presence with her 
calm, confident leadership.
  In addition to her investigatory duties, Ms. Hersman helped to 
broaden the mission of the NTSB. She focused not just on what happened 
after a tragedy, but also what the government could do to prevent such 
tragedies from occurring in the first place. By focusing on behaviors 
that cause transportation accidents, like fatigue and intoxication, Ms. 
Hersman helped shape the NTSB into a more proactive organization. She 
recently announced she is leaving public service to become president 
and chief executive officer of the National Safety Council.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Deborah 
Hersman for her tremendous service to our nation. I commend her for all 
the work she has done to keep our roadways, railways, and airspace safe 
for all Americans. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Hersman 
on her accomplishments, and I wish her and her family all the best in 
her future endeavors.

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