What does the FAA chief do, and why is Biden’s nominee being stalled?
Jack Birle
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The Federal Aviation Administration has not had a confirmed head for nearly 10 months, and after the chaos of a system outage that grounded flights earlier this month, many are wondering why there is not a confirmed leader.
The position of acting FAA administrator is currently held by Billy Nolen, but in July 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Phil Washington as his permanent replacement.
‘CLEAR THE RUNWAY’: SCHUMER CALLS FOR BIDEN’S FAA NOMINEE TO BE CONFIRMED
The FAA administrator oversees the variety of matters the agency is responsible for in regulating U.S. airspace and reports to the secretary of transportation. The FAA currently regulates commercial airspace and aviation safety, operates air traffic control, and researches and develops aviation solutions.
The FAA administrator manages the agency with the assistance of the deputy administrator. They coordinate with FAA program directors.
One of the systems the FAA and the FAA administrator oversees is the Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, system. It provides pilots with important information, including weather advisories and runway closures. The NOTAM system suffered an outage earlier this month and grounded flights nationwide for the first time since the 9/11 terror attacks.
The agency faced immense scrutiny after the outage, and pressure has mounted to confirm a permanent head, especially after a messy year for air travel in which travelers faced mass cancellations during the summer and Christmas seasons.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had vowed to “clear the runway” for Biden’s nominee recently, as the position has not had a permanent head since March 2022.
“It’s time to clear the runway for President Biden’s choice for FAA administrator, Phil Washington,” Schumer said last week. “With recent events, including airline troubles and last week’s tech problem, this agency needs a leader confirmed by the Senate immediately.”
Despite Schumer’s enthusiasm, some are not so warm on Washington. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) has called for a new nominee over Washington’s lack of “safety or aviation experience.”
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Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, with the three independent senators all caucusing with the Democratic Party. That means Washington could be confirmed with no GOP votes.