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Whistleblower

Issue: Aviation

FAA Administrator Bedford in Violation of Ethics Agreement, Potentially Holds Millions in Republic Airways Stock Months After Confirmation, Committee Learns

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, demanded answers from Bryan Bedford, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on his failure to divest potentially millions of dollars in Republic Airways holdings within 90 days of his confirmation, a clear violation of his ethics agreement. According to his financial disclosure, at the time of his nomination, Administrator Bedford reported holding stock in Republic worth between $6 million and $30 million.

Cantwell Blasts Republicans Ahead of Vote to Replace NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown, Illegally Fired by Trump

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, slammed Senate Republicans ahead of a vote scheduled for Monday evening on Trump nominee John DeLeeuw to replace NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown, who President Trump unlawfully removed from his position. Vice Chair Brown, who was unanimously approved by the Senate for a term through December 2026, has a pending lawsuit over the removal.

Cantwell Demands Answers from BP About Pipeline Spill Severely Impacting Delivery of Jet Fuel to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, today wrote to BP North America Chief Executive Officer Murray Auchincloss demanding immediate answers about the Olympic Pipeline leak that has cut off delivery of jet fuel to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) just days ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. In addition, there are concerns that the incident may increase gas prices in Western Washington for the next several weeks.

Ranking Member Cantwell, Sen. Markey, Colleagues Call on Trump DOT to Stop Making Air Travel Costs More Expensive, Less Transparent for Passengers

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, joined Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and 16 Democratic colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, urging DOT to reverse its decision to roll back popular consumer protections created by the Biden Administration requiring airlines to compensate passengers for flight delays and cancellations and to disclose any ancillary fees upfront so consumers understand the actual cost of flights.

Commerce Committee Approves Cantwell-Cruz Bipartisan Aviation Safety Bill

Today, the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation unanimously approved bipartisan aviation safety legislation that requires all aircraft to be equipped with ADS-B In technology, closes a loophole that allowed military aircraft to operate without ADS-B Out transmitting their location, strengthens FAA-Department of Defense (DoD) coordination and requires comprehensive safety reviews of all aircraft operations in the DCA airspace, as well as all major and mid-sized airports across the country. The legislation addresses several safety issues identified by the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) ongoing investigation into the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that killed 67 people on January 29. Reports of over 15,000 near-misses between commercial aircraft and helicopters in the National Capital Region went unaddressed in the three years before the crash.

Cantwell Questions NTSB Nominee Over FAA Failure to Implement Safety Recommendations, Including ADS-B In Technology

During the nomination hearing of Michael Graham to serve on the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB), U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, continued her criticism of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety oversight, pointing to the agency’s failure to act on numerous warnings at Washington National Airport (DCA) and its long delays in implementing NTSB safety recommendations, including ADS-B In and Out technology.

Ranking Member Cantwell Opening Statement at Hearing for NTSB, OSTP, and Commerce Nominees

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing on the renomination of Michael Graham to serve as a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the nominations of Dr. Ethan Klein to be Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and Joyce Meyer to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs.

Cantwell Joins Colleagues in Calling for PSA Airlines Contract Agreement

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, joined her colleagues, led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), in sending a letter to PSA Airlines, Inc. urging them to continue contract negotiations and reach a fair agreement with over 1,700 flight attendants. The flight attendants have been bargaining for a new contract with PSA Airlines for over two years.

DOT Launches Safety Audit of FAA Oversight of DCA Airspace

The Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General (DOT OIG) today announced it will spearhead a safety audit of FAA’s oversight of DCA airspace. In June, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, led a letter along with Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to DOT’s Acting Inspector General and the Inspector General of the Army (Army OIG) requesting concurrent safety audits in response to the January 29th mid-air collision and ongoing coordination issues between the Army and DCA air traffic control. To date, the Army has refused to conduct its own audit.