President Obama nominated Deborah Hersman for a third term as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, a job she has held since 2009.
Hersman, 43, joined the NTSB in 2004 after being appointed by President George W. Bush. If confirmed by the Senate, her next term as NTSB chair would be for two years, although she has been appointed as a Board member for five years.
Hersman’s name had been floated as a possible successor to Ray LaHood to lead the Department of Transportation, but Obama picked Charlotte, North Carolina, Mayor Anthony Foxx for the post instead. This has been one of the NTSB’s busiest years in the last decade as the Board dealt with the crash of Asiana Flight 214 in San Francisco in June and battery fires aboard the Boeing 787 that grounded the fleet.
“I am grateful for the faith that President Obama has placed in me and look forward to working with my fellow board members to make transportation — across all modes — safer for our citizens,” Hersman said in a statement.
Christopher Hart, who has been the NTSB vice chairman, was also renominated by Obama to remain on the board.
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