The FAA's hiring practices could pose significant risks to American travelers, attorneys general from 11 states warned in a joint letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker.
The letter, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, claims that the Biden administration's FAA prioritizes diversity hiring over merit-based hiring.
"It's outrageous that the FAA is making passenger safety take a back seat to diversity," Kobach stated.
The letter cites a five-year FAA strategic plan aimed at diversifying its workforce. Additionally, it notes that the FAA has been using biological assessments to screen employment candidates and circulating racial-affinity terms to promote minority candidates.
"Unfortunately, the Biden administration…appears to prioritize virtue signaling ‘diversity' efforts over aviation expertise. And this calls into question the agency's commitment to safety," reads the letter addressed to Whitaker.
On the day the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Harvard and University of North Carolina's race-based admission policies, the FAA hosted a three-day Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility symposium featuring training on topics such as "Understanding the Impact of DEIA" and "Unmasking Unconscious Bias."
"Given the recent FAA failure that delayed thousands of flights last January and the recent spike in near aircraft collisions, we are very worried that the FAA has lost sight of its primary goal – ensuring the safety of American skies," Kobach added. "American lives depend on the FAA hiring the most-qualified aviation experts."
Kobach was joined by attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Texas in signing the letter.
Read the letter.