Families of Flight 3407 oppose DOT nomination

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Families of Continental Flight 3407 announced that they “strongly oppose” the nomination of Steven Bradbury for Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

Bradley was previously general counsel for the Department of Transportation in President Donald Trump’s first administration. The family group said that Bradbury’s “past policy decisions demonstrate a failure to prioritize the safety of the flying public.”

“Under Bradbury’s leadership at the DOT, the department failed to support a thorough and transparent investigation into the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302,” the group said in a statement. “Bradbury was instrumental in withholding critical investigative materials from Congress, obstructing efforts to uncover the full extent of Boeing’s missteps. … Furthermore, during his tenure, Bradbury supported regulatory rollbacks that would weaken pilot training requirements and safety oversight measures — policies that contradict the hard-won reforms championed by the Families of Flight 3407.”

Bradbury was nominated for the position on Jan. 22. He was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on a 15-13 vote on Feb. 27 and will soon face a full Senate vote.

“As the former General Counsel of DOT, Mr. Bradbury will bring a deep understanding of how the Department and our transportation systems operate,” Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said following the committee vote. “He is intimately familiar with the Department’s past attempts to address transportation challenges, such as aviation safety, and has learned from his experiences. This background will be invaluable in his new role, when he is confirmed.”

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Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.

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