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 narrowly through the Senate Committee on a partisan vote, moving to the full Senate despite significant opposition.
Key opposition stems from concerns over his commitment to aviation safety, particularly his reluctance to uphold the 1,500-hour pilot training rule and his prior misrepresentation of holding a commercial pilot license.
Despite detractors, Bedford has strong support from many aviation industry groups and former FAA administrators, and he has identified air traffic control modernization and staffing shortages as his top priorities for the agency.

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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.