Washington, DC - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) released the following statement:
“This settlement amounts to a slap on the wrist and is an insult to the 346 victims who died as a result of corporate greed. Not only is the dollar amount of the settlement a mere fraction of Boeing’s annual revenue, the settlement sidesteps any real accountability in terms of criminal charges. My Committee’s investigation revealed numerous opportunities for Boeing to correct course during the development of the 737 MAX but each time the company failed to do so, instead choosing to take a gamble with the safety of the flying public in hopes it wouldn’t catch up with them in the end. I hope the DOJ can explain its rationale for this weak settlement to the families, because from where I sit this attempt to change corporate behavior is pathetic and will do little to deter criminal behavior going forward. Senior management and the Boeing board were not held to account, and in fact, the former CEO skated out with more than $60 million. Fortunately, Congress has already acted and I urge the Federal Aviation Administration to promptly and fully implement the ‘Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act’ so we can make sure what happened with the Boeing 737 MAX is never repeated.”
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