In its “Morning Transportation” segment on August 8, 2013, Politico quoted Venable partner and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Jim Burnley on how the current Transportation Secretary should address imminent challenges.
Burnley said “one of the most important issues is management of the NextGen set of procurements at the Federal Aviation Administration. Those programs, and their predecessors,” he explained, “have a long tortured history, which is well documented by numerous IG and GAO reports. The Secretary shouldn’t try to manage these complex procurements on a day to day basis, but he does have responsibility for assuring the best possible management team and personnel are in place.” Burnley added that “the other area that requires continuing oversight and accountability are the department’s rulemakings. The more important and complex a rulemaking is, the more likely it will become bogged down and/or go astray. Active Secretarial oversight is essential.”
Burnley said “one of the most important issues is management of the NextGen set of procurements at the Federal Aviation Administration. Those programs, and their predecessors,” he explained, “have a long tortured history, which is well documented by numerous IG and GAO reports. The Secretary shouldn’t try to manage these complex procurements on a day to day basis, but he does have responsibility for assuring the best possible management team and personnel are in place.” Burnley added that “the other area that requires continuing oversight and accountability are the department’s rulemakings. The more important and complex a rulemaking is, the more likely it will become bogged down and/or go astray. Active Secretarial oversight is essential.”