U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, along with all Committee Democrats, voted against Bryan Bedford's nomination to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Cantwell expressed concerns about Bedford's commitment to aviation safety during his nomination hearing.
"We need an FAA Administrator who will set the global gold standard for aviation safety," stated Sen. Cantwell. She criticized Bedford for not committing to uphold the 1500-hour rule and refusing to recuse himself from granting his own company an exemption from this requirement. Additionally, she noted his lack of a stance on aviation safety risks associated with a spectrum auction proposal in a Republican reconciliation bill.
Cantwell stressed the importance of having an Administrator dedicated to strengthening safety standards rather than circumventing them. She highlighted Bedford's failure to commit not to weaken pilot training requirements as a significant barrier to her support.
The Families of Flight 3407 opposed Bedford’s nomination due to his attempts to bypass the 1500-hour training requirement through a program by his airline. Captain Sully Sullenberger also criticized Bedford’s record on aviation safety and his lack of commitment to protect this rule.
Senator Cantwell has been active in promoting aviation safety measures. On June 5, 2025, she introduced the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act following a mid-air collision that resulted in 67 fatalities in DCA airspace. In her previous role as Chair of the Committee in 2024, she led efforts resulting in the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act with bipartisan support, focusing on increasing FAA’s safety-critical staff. Her work also includes the Aircraft Certification, Safety and Accountability Act in 2020, which enhanced FAA oversight and mandated safety management systems for aircraft manufacturers.
