House panel approves FAA reform bill after Boeing 737 MAX crashes

(Reuters) – The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to reform the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) aircraft certification process in the wake of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people.

Representative Peter DeFazio, who chairs the committee, said the House would vote on the sweeping reform measure later this year. The Boeing 737 MAX has been grounded since March 2019. Among other reforms, the bill requires an expert panel evaluate Boeing’s safety culture and make recommendations for improvements.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)