U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, released the following statement on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) announcement it is launching an investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX 9, following the recent Alaska Airlines flight 1282 incident:

“The safety of the flying public is our top priority. We must know what caused the terrifying incident on an Alaska Airlines flight last week and whether manufacturers and FAA oversight failed to meet safety regulations. The American public deserves answers. I am asking the FAA to provide a full accounting of its oversight of manufacturers' compliance with quality control standards.”