Bush nominates Blakey, Nober to transportation posts

President Bush announced Wednesday that he will nominate Marion Blakey, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), to head the Federal Aviation Administration. Blakey, head of the NTSB since Sept. 2001, is a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a former assistant transportation secretary for public affairs. "This is a critical time for the aviation industry and I am honored by the president's trust," Blakey said in a statement. If confirmed by the Senate to a five-year term, Blakey would become the second woman after Jane Garvey, whose term ends Aug. 4, to lead the agency. Also announced Wednesday was the nomination of Roger Nober to chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, which regulates the railroad industry. "Roger's extensive background in transportation policy, strengthened by his most recent experience at the U.S. Department of Transportation, makes him ideally suited to take on this new challenge," said Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter regarding the nomination.