FAA Nominee Washington Receives Senate Hearing

Image copyright: Net Share

The Facts

  • Phil Washington — the current CEO of Denver International Airport — has testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation almost eight months after Pres. Joe Biden nominated him to head up the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The delay in the hearing has left the FAA without a permanent administrator for a whole year.

  • Washington, who vowed to “work diligently” if confirmed, previously served in leadership roles for municipal transit systems – mostly involving bus and rail lines – in Denver and Los Angeles. He also served 24 years in the military and led the Biden-Harris transition at the Department of Transportation.


The Spin

Democratic narrative

Washington will apply his management skills, as well as his military leadership, to modernize and better organize the FAA and improve the management of airspace. He has proven he could turn around transportation organizations in the past, and he’ll do the same at FAA.

Republican narrative

The Biden administration is willing to overlook Washington’s lack of aviation experience because he’s going to promote their woke agenda at the FAA. His past experiences show he was merely interested in pushing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies, and despite this, was himself guilty of discrimination. His overly politicized approach is not what FAA needs at this crucial and delicate time.


Articles on this story

Sign up to our daily newsletter