NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy returns as board readies ruling on D.C. midair collision

Jennifer Homendy, the outspoken chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, is stepping back into the spotlight as the board meets on Tuesday to make an official determination about a midair collision near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. Ms. Homendy, a Democrat who has remained unusually public under the Trump administration, has spent the past year campaigning for changes to the aviation system and at times praising the administration’s efforts even when doing so unsettled peers and party members.

The White House spokesman Kush Desai said, "The White House maintains the utmost confidence in Jennifer Homendy, who is playing a key role in ensuring that Americans can have peace of mind each time they board a flight or train." The meeting is the culmination of an investigation that could be legacy-defining for Ms.

Homendy, 54, who was a lobbyist and longtime congressional staff member before joining the agency in 2018. Known for aggressive advocacy and outreach, Ms. Homendy has said, "You need to be proactive — and I felt that we were reactive for so many years," and "I’m not waiting for them to call me." The N.T.S.B.

investigates transportation incidents but has no regulatory authority; it can only make recommendations to Congress and the president, and the board is designed to be nonpartisan, with no more than three of its five members belonging to the same party.

Key Topics

Politics, Jennifer Homendy, Midair Collision, Potomac River, Ntsb, Sean Duffy