It’s difficult to determine whether Biden Administration officials are running for the exits or the White House suffers a string of bad luck with transportation agency leaders. Recent reports indicate Port Envoy John Porcari and Federal Aviation Administrator Steve Dickson are both calling it quits.
Porcari occupies a recently created position that thrust him into the national spotlight. Tapped in August 2021, the former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation was assigned to the Biden Administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force during a volatile period.
“Our country’s ports are the gateways for getting goods to market, which makes the appointment of John Porcari as Ports Envoy an especially important step forward in alleviating these disruptions that are impacting consumers, workers, and businesses alike,” National Economic Council Director Brian Deese reportedly stated.
That post put him front and center as the worst container port logjams in recent history plagued the country. The White House pushed for unpopular $100 dwell fees at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, leaving Porcari as the face of the problem. Although port officials such as Los Angeles’ Gene Seroka praised his “hard work and dedication,” Porcari will reportedly leave the Biden Task Force in his rearview by the end of March. That puts him barely across the half-year mark.
A not-so-new face in transportation will also tap out soon. Federal Aviation Administrator Steve Dickson confirmed that his Washington, D.C., days are numbered as well. Dickson has gone on the record indicating that after completing only about half of his five-year appointment, his resignation becomes effective March 31.
“Steve has been the FAA’s steady and skilled captain, and his tenure has been marked by steadfast commitment to the FAA’s safety mission and the 45,000 employees who work tirelessly every day to fulfill it,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reportedly said. “We are grateful for his years of service to our country and his lifelong dedication to making sure our aviation system is the best and safest in the world.”
Dickson has been running an agency that includes 45,000 employees from the nation’s Capital while his family remains in Georgia. Political insiders might point to the fact Dickson was appointed by former Pres. Donald J. Trump, and remains a card-carrying Republican. But such is not the case with Democrat Porcari, who was elevated to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation by former Pres. Barack Obama.
The plot around these departures thickens when factoring former Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration acting administrator Meera Joshi into the mix. Having effectively sailed through Senate confirmation hearings, she was clearly about to be handed the FMCSA’s permanent leadership role. But in the 11th hour, she balked and took a position as Deputy Mayor of New York City for Operations. Joshi essential pivoted away from a federal career to a city job. That stands as something of a conundrum and makes onlookers wonder why these niche leaders are leaving the Biden Administration.
Sources: cnbc.com, cbsnews.com, joc.com, whitehouse.gov
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