In response to a deadly plane crash, the President mandates a comprehensive review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) hiring and safety procedures from the past four years.
The order directly attributes the accident to alleged policy decisions from previous administrations that prioritized diversity initiatives over merit-based hiring.
The review will identify and correct any shortcomings in safety standards and personnel qualifications, aiming to restore public confidence in air travel.
Arguments For
- Intended benefits: Enhanced aviation safety through a return to merit-based hiring and rigorous safety protocols. Improved public trust and confidence in air travel.
- Evidence cited: The recent fatal collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is cited as evidence of potential shortcomings in current FAA practices. Allegations of non-merit-based hiring during previous administrations are mentioned.
- Implementation methods: A review of hiring decisions and safety protocol changes over the past four years is mandated. Corrective actions, including personnel replacements, are authorized as needed.
- Legal/historical basis: The order builds upon a previous Presidential Memorandum (January 21, 2025) focused on aviation safety and cites a need to reverse perceived negative trends.
Arguments Against
- Potential impacts: Large-scale personnel changes could disrupt FAA operations and lead to temporary staffing shortages. The review process itself may be lengthy and costly.
- Implementation challenges: Determining objective qualification standards and ensuring fair and unbiased evaluation of personnel may prove difficult. Retrospective judgments on past hiring decisions may be subjective and potentially contentious.
- Alternative approaches: A less drastic approach might involve targeted investigations into specific safety concerns rather than a blanket review of all hiring and protocol changes.
- Unintended effects: The focus on merit-based hiring may inadvertently lead to overlooking diverse candidates, creating a potential conflict with diversity and inclusion goals. Rapid personnel changes could negatively impact employee morale.
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: Immediate Assessment of Aviation Safety
This is a presidential memorandum addressing the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The subject is an immediate assessment of aviation safety.
On January 29, 2025, a commercial aircraft and a military helicopter horrifically collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. American families today woke up without their loved ones after what should have been a routine trip, and the entire Nation mourns the loss of the victims.
The memorandum begins by describing a recent tragic air accident where a commercial plane and a military helicopter crashed near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in significant loss of life.
This shocking event follows problematic and likely illegal decisions during the Obama and Biden Administrations that minimized merit and competence in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Obama Administration implemented a biographical questionnaire at the FAA to shift the hiring focus away from objective aptitude. During my first term, my Administration raised standards to achieve the highest standards of safety and excellence. But the Biden Administration egregiously rejected merit-based hiring, requiring all executive departments and agencies to implement dangerous “diversity equity and inclusion” tactics, and specifically recruiting individuals with “severe intellectual” disabilities in the FAA.
The President attributes the accident to policies implemented during previous administrations.
These policies allegedly prioritized diversity initiatives over merit and competence in FAA hiring.
The President criticizes the Obama administration's use of biographical questionnaires and the Biden administration's use of 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' initiatives that the President claims compromised safety by lowering hiring standards.
On my second day in office, I ordered an immediate return to merit-based recruitment, hiring, and promotion, elevating safety and ability as the paramount standard. Yesterday’s devastating accident tragically underscores the need to elevate safety and competence as the priority of the FAA.
The President states that, upon taking office, they reinstated merit-based hiring practices and prioritizes safety and competence.
The recent accident is cited as further justification for this policy.
Consistent with the Presidential Memorandum of January 21, 2025 (Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation), I am further ordering the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (Administrator) to review all hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols made during the prior 4 years, and to take such corrective action as necessary to achieve uncompromised aviation safety, including the replacement of any individuals who do not meet qualification standards. This review shall include a systematic assessment of any deterioration in hiring standards and aviation safety standards and protocols during the Biden Administration.
The President orders a review of FAA hiring decisions and safety protocol changes over the past four years.
The aim of this review is to identify and correct any issues that compromised aviation safety.
The review specifically targets changes during the Biden administration.
Individuals who do not meet qualification standards are to be replaced.
Consistent with the Presidential Memorandum of January 21, 2025, the Secretary and the Administrator shall take all actions necessary to reverse concerning safety and personnel trends during the prior 4 years, instill an unwavering commitment to aviation safety, and ensure that all Americans fly with peace of mind.
The President directs the Secretary of Transportation and the FAA Administrator to take necessary actions to reverse negative trends in safety and personnel from the previous four years, ensuring robust aviation safety measures are in place to reassure the public.
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