Following the example of last year's IRS reform, the House is considering establishing a management oversight board for the Federal Aviation Administration made up primarily of private-sector executives.
The nine-member board, modeled after the IRS's new board, would include six private-sector management experts, a representative of the air traffic controllers' union, the Secretary of Transportation, and the FAA administrator. The board would oversee management of FAA's air traffic control services.
The House Transportation Committee called for the board last week in its mark-up of the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (H.R. 1000). The board's oversight responsibilities would include choosing a chief operating officer for air traffic control services, approving strategic plans, signing off on major procurements and reviewing the selection and performance of senior executives.
Members of the board would be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Last week, President Clinton nominated five of the nine members of the new IRS management oversight board, which was created as a result of last year's IRS reform. The IRS board also includes a union representative, six private-sector management experts and two administration officials.
A Transportation Department spokesman said the department has not yet taken a position on the FAA oversight board provision. Eliot Brenner, an FAA spokesman, said the oversight board idea is similar to the administration's proposal of an air traffic services management advisory panel.
"Our proposal has something similar to it in terms of oversight for an air traffic organization, which we've proposed to be a performance-based organization," Brenner said. "The positions are not dissimilar, and we're going to be working with Congress on the issue."
The administration's proposal to make air traffic control services a performance-based organization, funded by user fees, is not in the House bill.
The administration originally opposed the creation of the IRS oversight board, but reversed its position after Congress ensured the President had the authority to appoint and fire the IRS commissioner.