Past FAA Administrators Endorse Phil Washington, Biden’s Nominee for FAA Administrator
Former FAA Administrators today rebuked Republicans’ distortion of the aviation qualifications needed to effectively lead the agency, and publicly endorsed Phil Washington, President Biden’s nominee to serve as the next Administrator, citing his invaluable safety experience, record of successfully managing large, complex organizations and his decades of public service.
Powerful Airport Workers Union Says Phil Washington’s Bold Leadership Needed at FAA
On behalf of 36,000 airport service employees across the country, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) announced its strong endorsement of Phil Washington, President Biden’s nominee to serve as the next FAA Administrator.
Republicans Get Lesson On What It Takes To Run An Airport
During his nomination hearing last week to serve as FAA Administrator, Republicans questioned Phil Washington’s experience as CEO of Denver International Airport – the 3rd largest airport in the country – asserting the job doesn’t have anything to do with safety or aviation. In a letter to the Committee, the President of Airports Council International – North America, which represents more than 300 airports in the U.S. and Canada and more than 400 aviation-related businesses, refuted Republicans, outlining the extensive responsibilities that come with running an airport, such as meeting a complex set of FAA safety requirements in order to obtain and keep an airport operating certificate, ensuring safety of passengers, aircraft operations and facilities, and overseeing billions of dollars in safety investment projects.
Cantwell, Democrats: Phil Washington is a Proven Leader With a Mission for Safety
Today, during a U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation nomination hearing for Phil Washington, President Biden’s nominee to be the next Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee, and other Committee Democratic members focused on the nominee’s qualifications and extensive history leading complex transportation systems, ensuring that safety is a top priority for the nation’s aviation safety Administrator.
Democrats: Phil Washington is Ready to Lead Our Nation’s Aviation Safety Agency
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, today delivered the following opening statement during the nomination hearing for Phil Washington, President Biden’s choice to serve as the next administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration. Introductory remarks from Colorado Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) are also below.
Cantwell Calls for “True Redundancy”; Gives FAA One Week to Respond With Plan
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today directed the Acting FAA Administrator to return within a week with an immediate plan for building a reliable, separate back up system to ensure true redundancy for the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system.
Cantwell: “For the United States to be the leader in aviation, we must set the global standard for aviation safety.”
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing with Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen on last month’s FAA NOTAM system failure and ensuring the safety and security of our nation’s airspace. Cantwell also pointed to the lack of diversity in aviation, calling for continued work to encourage more women to enter the aviation industry.
Cantwell: The FAA Must Be the Global Standard
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the below statement ahead of the Wednesday, February 15, hearing with Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen regarding the causes and impacts of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system outage on January 11, 2023, which prompted Nolan to issue the first nation-wide ground stop since 9/11:
Cantwell Statement Ahead of Southwest Hearing: “The American people have a lot of questions…We’re going to ask for answers”
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the below statement ahead of tomorrow’s hearing titled “Strengthening Airline Operations and Consumer Protections.” Sen. Cantwell will question Southwest Airlines Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson about the upheaval at the airline over the 2022 holiday season that resulted in 16,700 canceled flights and millions of stranded passengers. The Committee will also hear testimony from representatives from Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, Flyers’ Rights and Airlines for America.
Cantwell Hears WA Residents’ Holiday Travel Stories Ahead of Committee Hearing: “It’s Clear That There Was a System Failure at Southwest”
Today, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, held a virtual roundtable to hear from five Washington state residents who were caught up in Southwest Airlines’ holiday meltdown. Sen. Cantwell will chair a hearing on Thursday, February 9, 2023 regarding these operational failures and strengthening consumer protections for air travelers.