FAA oversight and certification procedures are increasingly coming under scrutiny in the wake of the Boeing 737 Max crashes as Congress holds hearings to delve into those issues. Led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the Senate aviation subcommittee this afternoon is looking at federal oversight of commercial aviation with National Transportation Safety Board chairman Robert Sumwalt, FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell, and Transportation inspector general Calvin Scovel all slated to testify. This is the first of two hearings the subcommittee is planning on the issue, with another expected shortly that will involve Boeing and other aviation manufacturers, airline pilots, and other stakeholders.

In the House, meanwhile, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Pete DeFazio (D-Oregon) and aviation subcommittee chairman Rick Larsen (D-Washington) are urging the FAA that, as it continues to review the 737 Max, it also engage an independent, third-party review to objectively advise on safety certification of new and novel technology. Such a review should recommend technical modifications and proposed training requirements. “Safety must always be held paramount and guide every decision the FAA makes,” the lawmakers said in a letter to Elwell.

Their letter followed the Transportation Department announcement that it has established a special committee to review the FAA’s procedures involved in the certification of new aircraft, including the 737 Max.

The lawmakers further have sought a Transportation inspector general investigation on the Max certification and the FAA’s evaluation of new features on aircraft, including sensors and software, pilot training programs, and manuals; and how new features were communicated to airlines, pilots, and foreign authorities. And they have created a whistleblower webpage as a resource for people to share information anonymously. The Office of the Inspector General today issued a statement that it would look into the matter.