Despite Opposition, Trump's FAA Pick Narrowly Moves to Senate Vote

Bryan Bedford has faced growing pushback due to his positions on the 1,500-hour rule and other safety-related provisions.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 04:30 PM ET

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Edited By: Steve Spears

Former Republic Airways CEO and now FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford [Courtesy: Republic Airways]

Key Takeaways:

Bryan Bedford's nomination for FAA administrator advanced despite growing opposition over his stances on aviation safety-related issues, passing a Senate committee vote along partisan lines.
A primary concern is Bedford's refusal to explicitly commit to upholding the 1,500-hour flight rule for airline first officers, a post-Colgan Air crash safety standard he previously called "inflexible and arbitrary."
Opposition also stems from his past misrepresentation of having a commercial pilot license, which he now admits he never obtained, and his noncommittal responses on other critical safety topics like two-pilot flight decks and radar altimeter interference.
If confirmed, Bedford would lead an FAA grappling with recent incidents, workforce reductions, air traffic control staffing shortages, and a need for modernization, which he identifies as a top priority.

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The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted Wednesday to advance Bryan Bedford’s nomination for FAA administrator, despite growing opposition over his stances on aviation safety-related issues.

The confirmation of Bedford, the longtime CEO of Republic Airways, will now move to the full Senate after a narrow 15-13 vote. The vote was a partisan split, with united support from Republicans and unanimous opposition from Democrats.