US Senate committee advances Trump nominee to head FAA

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday voted 15 to 13 to approve the nomination Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford to head the Federal Aviation Administration but is not hiking proposed funding to overhaul air traffic control.

All Republicans voted in favor, while Democrats voted against after some cited Bedford’s refusal to commit to uphold the 1,500-hour training rule for co-pilots.

Bedford has pledged to maintain tough oversight of Boeing, which came under harsh criticism from the National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday for a mid-air emergency involving a new 737 MAX 9 missing four key bolts.

Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz on June 5 proposed $12.5 billion for air traffic control funding but since then Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has urged lawmakers to add billions and said he supported at least $20 billion.

The Trump administration wants to completely overhaul the FAA’s air traffic control system after a mid-air collision on January 29 between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet near Washington Reagan National Airport. All 67 people aboard the aircraft died.

Cruz released revised text Wednesday on the massive tax and budget bill that leaves the $12.5 billion for air traffic control unchanged.

Duffy wants funding to purchase new radios and network connections, replace 618 radars, install anti-collision tarmac technology at 200 airports, build six new air traffic control centers and expand the FAA’s network of real-time aircraft traffic information.

He also wants funding for airport equipment to prevent near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic controller hiring and retention.

Major aerospace companies and airlines have called for at least $31 billion in funding to fix the FAA’s crumbling air traffic control equipment and radar systems, build new towers and improve runway safety.

The FAA’s air traffic control network’s woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and the catastrophic crash in January spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)