U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, criticized Senate Republicans before a scheduled vote to confirm John DeLeeuw as Vice Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The vote is set to take place Monday evening.
The nomination comes after President Trump removed current NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown from his position. Brown had been unanimously confirmed by the Senate for a term lasting through December 2026 and has filed a lawsuit challenging his removal.
Senator Cantwell stated: “As my Democratic colleagues and I have made clear, this Committee should not be rewarding President Trump’s illegal removal of NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown by rushing to confirm his replacement. This is especially true when Vice Chair Brown’s lawsuit challenging his unlawful removal is pending. But unfortunately, my Republican colleagues are doing precisely that—disregarding the significant uncertainty this may create, the dangerous precedent this would set, and the damage this may cause by enabling the White House’s power grab.”
She continued: “The NTSB’s critical work to advance public safety hinges on its independence and credibility, neither of which is advanced by confirming a nominee for a vacancy that does not clearly exist under the law. I once again call on my Republican colleagues to preserve this Committee’s bipartisan tradition and postpone the vote on Vice Chair Brown’s replacement while the legal process plays out. It’s not too late to do the right thing.”
Cantwell also noted that so far, no Democrats have been nominated by the Administration to serve on independent boards or commissions.
Previously, Senator Cantwell led committee Democrats in sending a letter to Senator Cruz and Majority Leader Thune objecting to moving forward with DeLeeuw's nomination before resolving Brown's legal challenge. In advance of DeLeeuw's hearing she said: “The Commerce Committee should not be rushing ahead with a nominee to replace NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown, whom President Trump illegally removed earlier this year. The facts are clear: The Senate unanimously confirmed Vice Chair Brown last year, his term does not expire until the end of next year, and the President removed him without complying with the law. As my colleagues and I wrote to Chairman Cruz and Leader Thune last week, this Committee should not proceed with a nomination to fill Vice Chair Browns’s seat until the ongoing litigation is resolved on the merits.”
