NSTB chief clears first Senate hurdle in full term bid

Acting National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Christopher Hart won approval to serve full term atop the accident investigatory panel from a Senate committee on Wednesday. 

Hart was appointed permanently to the post by President Obama in June after he took over the helm of the NTSB in April when long-time former NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman left the agency. 

The nomination was unanimously approved on Wednesday by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, clearing the way for a vote of the full Senate that is expected to be similarly non-controversial. 

{mosads}Hersman said she resigned from the NTSB to pursue a career with an independent transportation safety advocacy group. 

Hart has been a member of the NTSB since 2009, and he was the panel’s vice chairman prior to becoming its acting chief. Hart’s initial appointment to the safety panel was also by Obama. 

Prior to joining the NTSB, Hart was the Federal Aviation Administration’s director for air traffic safety oversight and assistant administrator for system safety.

Hart is in his second tour of duty on the transportation safety board, also having served on the NTSB from 1990 to 1993. 

After departing the NTSB the first time, Hart was deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under former President Clinton.