The aviation industry last month praised the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) as U.S. Transportation Secretary, citing LaHood's stated opposition to the plan of his predecessor, Mary Peters, to auction slots at the three major New York-area airports. Continental Airlines, for example, said LaHood "acknowledged that the prior administration's misguided proposal for auctions in the New York/New Jersey airports would not reduce congestion." The plan to auction slots initially was to go into effect this month, but an appeals court in Washington, D.C., in December ordered the U.S. Department of Transportation to halt auction amid legal review
(BTNonline, Dec. 9, 2008). JetBlue Airways CEO Dave Barger in a statement said, "Initial views expressed by Secretary LaHood, including an urgency to implement NextGen, the next generation air traffic control system, and opposition of slot auctions at New York airports, demonstrate his desire to improve our nation's air travel system." Air Transportation Association president and CEO James May in a statement said, "We look forward to working with the secretary to continue to advance our core shared safety agenda while also working to reduce delays, consume fuel as efficiently as possible and make the best possible investments to meet the future needs of a growing, transportation-dependent economy." LaHood represented Illinois' 18th district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1995. He did not seek re-election in 2008.