"We need an FAA Administrator who will set the global gold standard for aviation safety.” 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, announced today she will oppose the nomination of Bryan Bedford to serve as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration:

"We need an FAA Administrator who will set the global gold standard for aviation safety,” said Sen. Cantwell. “At his hearing, Mr. Bedford repeatedly refused to commit to upholding the 1500-hour rule and refused to recuse himself for his full term from granting his own company an exemption from this critical safety requirement. When asked about the clear aviation safety risks from the Republican reconciliation bill's spectrum auction proposal, Mr. Bedford claimed he wasn't informed enough to have an opinion despite his decades of experience in the aviation industry. These are not the strong responses we need from someone who would oversee the safety of more than 2.9 million daily passengers. I will oppose his nomination."

During Bedford’s nomination hearing, Sen. Cantwell emphasized that, “…we must have an Administrator who is an unwavering champion for safety, who strengthens safety standards, rather than seeking a way around them.” She also made clear during questioning that Bedford’s failure to commit not to weaken the 1500-hour pilot training rule if confirmed was a significant challenge to gaining her support.

The Families of Flight 3407 released a statement opposing Bedford’s nomination, citing his past attempts to circumvent the 1500-hour pilot training requirement through a program designed by his own airline. And Captain Sully Sullenberger released a statement strongly criticizing Mr. Bedford’s nomination, citing his poor record on aviation safety and, specifically, his lack of commitment to protect the 1,500-hour rule.

Sen. Cantwell has a long history of working to improve aviation safety. Most recently, on June 5, 2025, she led the introduction of the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 to strengthen aviation safety in the wake of the tragic mid-air collision on January 29^th that took the lives of 67 people in DCA airspace. Prior to that, under her leadership as Chair of the Committee in 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 passed the Senate and House with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law. Boosting FAA’s safety-critical staff – including more air traffic controllers - was the top priority of the 2024 Reauthorization. In 2020, Sen. Cantwell’s landmark Aircraft Certification, Safety and Accountability Act strengthened the FAA’s oversight of aircraft manufacturers, mandated safety management systems for aircraft manufacturers, and required the FAA to convene an independent expert panel to review the safety processes and culture of Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) holders like Boeing.

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