Phillip A. Washington speaks during a nomination hearing with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill on March 01, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images
President Joe Biden’s pick to run the Federal Aviation Administration has withdrawn his nomination, a setback for the administration that comes after Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington appeared to lack sufficient support in a closely divided Senate.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed Washington’s departure in a tweet Saturday night, calling him “a great nominee” and blaming inappropriate and partisan attacks.
Republicans are united in opposition to Washington, who calls him unqualified because of limited flying experience. Democrats and allied independents may still have pursued the nomination, but key senators on their side have refused to support Biden’s pick.
Washington’s fate appeared to be sealed when Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., abruptly canceled a scheduled vote last Wednesday — a sign that she lacked enough votes to remove the nomination from the committee. He said some senators wanted more information about Washington.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who was a Democrat until switching to independent in December, and moderate Democrat Jon Tester of Montana declined to say how they voted. A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Sinema is withholding the nomination and indicated its opposition. The person was not authorized to discuss the process publicly and insisted on anonymity.
Before the White House announces a new nominee, it likely wants assurances of support from Sinema, Tester and other moderates.
The FAA has been without a Senate-confirmed administrator since March 2022. The agency is trying to reassure Americans that air travel is safe despite an increase in close calls between planes this year. It also suffers from outdated technology that failed in January, briefly canceling all departures across the country. And it is still trying to repair its reputation after approving Boeing planes that crashed in 2018 and 2019.
“The FAA needs a confirmed Administrator, and Phil Washington’s transportation and military experience makes him an excellent nominee,” Buttigieg tweeted Saturday night. “The partisan attacks and procedural obstruction he faced were uncalled for, but I respect his decision to step down and am grateful for his service.”
Washington has run transit agencies in Denver and Los Angeles, but his only aviation-related experience is serving as CEO of the Denver airport for less than two years. He has strong ties to the administration, however — he led Biden’s 2020 transition team for the Transportation Department, which includes the FAA.
Biden nominated Washington in July, but he didn’t get a committee hearing for eight months. Republicans attacked his resume and seized on disclosures that his name appeared on search warrants related to a corruption investigation in Los Angeles. Washington said he did nothing wrong and had no contact with law enforcement.
The agency is headed by an acting administrator, Billy Nolen, a pilot who has held safety jobs at three airlines and the FAA. Sen. said. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who led the opposition in Washington, said Nolen could win bipartisan support.
In a statement Saturday night, Cruz said Washington’s lack of the necessary experience was obvious.
“Given the significant challenges facing the FAA, this is not the time for an administrator who needs on-the-job training,” he said. “The Biden administration must now quickly name someone to lead the FAA who has an extensive aviation background, can garner broad bipartisan support in the Senate, and will keep the flying public safe.”
