I found the place where the FAA's dual mandate was eliminated. Public Law 104-264, which was the FAA reauthorization bill of 1996. I think the intent of the law itself is pretty much unequivocal--"ELIMINATION OF DUAL MANDATE" doesn't leave much room for interpretation.Whether those changes are satisfactory to truly eliminate the "dual mandate" is an interesting discussion point.
http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/1000/1000/1070/avreauth96.html
All of section 401 can be found here: http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title4 ... r401_.htmlTITLE IV--AVIATION SAFETY
SEC. 401. ELIMINATION OF DUAL MANDATE.
(a) Safety Considerations in Public Interest.--
(1) Safety as highest priority.--Section 40101(d) is
amended--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as
paragraphs (2) through (7), respectively; and
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so
redesignated, the following:
``(1) assigning, maintaining, and enhancing safety and
security as the highest priorities in air commerce.''.
(2) Elimination of promotion.--Section 40101(d) is further
amended--
(A) in paragraph (2), as redesignated by paragraph
(1)(A) of this subsection, by striking ``its development
and''; and
(B) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated--
(i) by striking ``promoting, encouraging,''
and inserting ``encouraging''; and
(ii) by inserting before the period at the end
``, including new aviation technology''.
(b) FAA Safety Mission.--
(1) In general.--Section 40104 is amended--
(A) by inserting ``safety of'' before ``air
commerce'' in the section heading;
(B) by inserting ``Safety of'' before ``Air
Commerce'' in the heading of subsection (a); and
(C) by inserting ``safety of'' before ``air
commerce'' in subsection (a).
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter
401 is amended by striking the item relating to section 40104
and inserting the following:
``40104. Promotion of civil aeronautics and safety of air commerce.''.
It's 40101 and 40104 that are applicable.
The thing that really struck me about the quote from the FAA chronology was the line, "To address public perceptions about FAA’s “dual mission,...” I read that as having the attitude that there was nothing at all wrong with the way things were being run--that no, the relationships were not too close. I think the events of the present day confirm that that attitude never changed.