Tomorrow, Senator Ted Cruz has scheduled a hearing entitled "Safety First: Restoring Boeing's Status as a Great American Manufacturer." Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg is scheduled to testify about steps Boeing has taken to address safety issues that have arisen in recent years. Foremost among these issues is Boeing's conspiracy to defraud the FAA about the safety of its 737 MAX aircraft—a proven criminal conspiracy which directly and proximately led to two crashes of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Like Senator Cruz, I truly hope that Boeing will, in its next chapter, be restored to its status as a great American manufacturer. But moving onto that next chapter is not possible until Boeing concludes its current chapter. Over the next few weeks, Boeing's leadership will decide how it will conclude the criminal case that has been pending against it for more than four years. Boeing's decision will shed considerable light on whether it truly committed to again becoming a great and responsible manufacturer.
As is well known, Boeing defrauded the FAA about the safety of its 737 MAX aircraft. In January 2021, Boeing entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Justice Department, in which it admitted the crime. In exchange for the Government's agreement to defer prosecution, Boeing promised to address safety issues connected with the 737 MAX and, more broadly, its internal safety procedures.
