U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has announced her opposition to Bryan Bedford's nomination as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Sen. Cantwell expressed concerns over Bedford's stance on aviation safety standards.
"We need an FAA Administrator who will set the global gold standard for aviation safety," stated Sen. Cantwell. She highlighted that during his hearing, Bedford did not commit to upholding the 1500-hour rule and refused to recuse himself from granting exemptions to his own company regarding this requirement. Furthermore, when questioned about potential safety risks related to a spectrum auction proposal in a Republican reconciliation bill, Bedford claimed he was not informed enough to have an opinion despite his extensive experience in aviation.
Sen. Cantwell stressed the importance of having an FAA Administrator committed to enhancing safety standards rather than circumventing them. Her concerns were echoed by other stakeholders. The Families of Flight 3407 released a statement opposing Bedford’s nomination due to his previous attempts to bypass the 1500-hour pilot training requirement through programs developed by his airline. Captain Sully Sullenberger also criticized Bedford’s nomination for similar reasons.
Senator Cantwell has been actively involved in efforts to improve aviation safety throughout her career. On June 5, 2025, she introduced the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 following a tragic mid-air collision that resulted in 67 fatalities in DCA airspace earlier this year. In her tenure as Chair of the Committee in 2024, she led the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act with strong bipartisan support, prioritizing enhancements in FAA’s safety-critical staff.
In addition, Sen. Cantwell played a key role in passing the Aircraft Certification, Safety and Accountability Act in 2020 which aimed at strengthening FAA oversight and mandating safety management systems for aircraft manufacturers.
