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Senate confirms Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways, as new FAA Administrator

The vote in the upper chamber ended with 53 votes in favor and 43 against. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire was the lone Democrat to vote with Republicans.

Bedford on Capitol Hill/ Alex Wroblewski.

Bedford on Capitol Hill/ Alex Wroblewski.AFP

Joaquín Núñez
Published by
Joaquín Núñez

The Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford as the new administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Republic Airways CEO will assume the post at a tense time for the industry, given recent airline crashes in Arizona, Alaska, Pennsylvania and Washington, D. C.

The vote in the upper chamber ended with 53 votes in favor and 43 against. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire was the only Democrat to vote in favor of Bedford, who will assume her post after Congress approved $12.5 billion for the agency.

"The Department of Transportation is thrilled to have Bryan Bedford confirmed as our new FAA Administrator," said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. "Bryan will help me deliver and execute POTUS’s vision for a brand new air traffic control system. Welcome aboard, Bryan!" he added.

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Bedford, now 63, will be the fifth person to lead the FAA in the last four years. In addition to his experience as CEO of Republic Airways for more than two decades, he was president of the Regional Airlines Association (RRA). His candidacy was endorsed by much of the industry, including the Airlines for America association, the CEO of United Airlines and the air traffic controllers union.

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Bedford did not commit to requiring all commercial pilots to complete the 1,500-hour training requirement. He had previously criticized this standard during his time as CEO. Ted Cruz (R-TX), chairman of the aforementioned committee, described Bedford as a "stable leader with executive experience."

"I’m a big supporter of structured training as opposed to pure time-building. I don’t believe safety is static," he told senators in mid-June.

What does the FAA do?

The FAA was created following the passage of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, although the agency adopted its current name in 1967 under the Lyndon Johnson Administration. From then until today, it operates under the umbrella of the Department of Transportation.

Specifically, the website mentions the following responsibilities under the agency:

  • Regulating civil aviation to promote safety.
  • To promote and develop civil aeronautics, including new aeronautical technology.
  • To develop and operate an air traffic control and navigation system for civil and military aircraft.
  • To research and develop the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics.
  • To develop and carry out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation.
  • To regulate U.S. commercial space transportation.

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