[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2620-2621]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NOMINATION OF CHRISTOPHER A. HART

  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, I strongly support the nomination of 
Christopher A. Hart to serve as Chairman of the National Transportation 
Safety Board, NTSB. Today I joined the Commerce Committee's unanimous 
approval of his nomination and urge my colleagues to move quickly to 
confirm Mr. Hart as Chair of the NTSB.
  The NTSB plays a critical role in objectively evaluating accidents in 
aviation, railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline transportation 
services. The NTSB forms extensive recommendations on future 
enhancements in transportation safety and is a great asset in improving 
the national standard for transportation security. Given how critical 
the NTSB is to public safety, I cannot stress enough the importance of 
the full Senate approving this role. As Chairman, Mr. Hart will provide 
needed leadership to guide the NTSB's work.
  In New Jersey, the NTSB serves an essential role in improving public 
safety. Just last year, the NTSB moved

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quickly to launch a thorough investigation of a high-profile truck 
accident in June 2014. In addition, in response to the 2012 Paulsboro, 
NJ train derailment, the NTSB issued a comprehensive report with a 
number of needed safety recommendations. The NTSB's thorough analysis 
and review of these accidents significantly aids local governments, 
first responders, and Federal lawmakers in making important policy 
decisions to avoid future catastrophes.
  Given the importance of the NTSB to New Jersey and across the 
country, I am proud to support a nominee to lead this organization with 
a breadth of experience in senior leadership roles in aviation and 
highway safety. Mr. Hart's proven leadership of the NTSB makes him 
uniquely qualified to lead this organization. I am proud to offer my 
full support for Mr. Hart, who I am honored to note upon approval by 
this body, will serve as the first African-American Chairman of the 
NTSB. Mr. Hart continues the tradition of his great uncle James Herman 
Banning, the first African American to receive a pilot's license issued 
by the U.S. Government in 1926. As a pilot himself, and a true public 
servant, Mr. Hart will help the NTSB continue making a substantial 
positive impact on American public safety. Thank you.

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