March 16, 2023
The Honorable Maria Cantwell
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate
254 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Ted Cruz
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate
254 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Cruz:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD) and the millions of aviation workers that we represent, I urge you to swiftly advance the nomination of Phil Washington for Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Mr. Washington has garnered professional expertise and leadership experience across multiple transportation organizations, including the Regional Transportation District of Denver, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Denver International Airport.
With the previous five-year reauthorization of the FAA set to expire this year and many critical worker safety issues in the aviation industry in need of urgent resolution, it is crucial that we have strong, stable leadership within the FAA. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 is a shining example of what can be accomplished when partisan politics are set aside and lawmakers come together to advance policies that will benefit the American people. The bill made critical investments in the FAA and our national airspace system (NAS), and included several provisions long fought for by TTD and our affiliates that will advance aviation safety and improve working conditions for employees.
Yet, a significant backlog of overdue rulemakings and other congressional mandates from the 2018 reauthorization bill has yet to be implemented, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for FAA-certified aircraft repair stations outside the United States and critical measures to protect customer service agents from assault. Enactment of these and other rulemakings is critical for the safety of the NAS, the aviation workforce, and airline passengers.
I have every confidence that Mr. Washington can effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of this role, including clearing the backlog of regulatory actions while advancing a forward-thinking approach to aviation safety. Since his nomination was announced, he has earned the support of multiple aviation unions, former FAA leaders, and aviation industry organizations, demonstrating his ability to be a coalition builder at a time when we urgently need permanent strong leadership to unite stakeholders around solutions to some of the most pressing safety challenges in our national airspace, including several recent near-miss incidents, staffing issues, and modernization efforts.
The FAA Administrator position is one of the most critical safety jobs in the Department of Transportation, and we cannot emphasize enough the importance of a swift confirmation. Vacancy of this critical role leaves the aviation industry vulnerable to compromises on safety, and undermines the well-being of workers and the flying public. Again, we urge you to swiftly advance the nomination of Phil Washington for this essential leadership post.
Sincerely,
Greg Regan
President