To watch Senator Capito’s questioning, click here or the image above. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today participated in a hearing to consider the nomination of Phillip A. Washington, CEO of the Denver International Airport, to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

During the hearing, Senator Capito asked Mr. Washington about his own aviation background, plans to ensure recent failures at the FAA don’t repeat, and his experience with rural airports like those in West Virginia.

HIGHLIGHTS:

On if workforce policies at the FAA have contributed to recent failures like aircraft groundings and near-misses:

CAPITO: “We've seen a number of troubling events and I'm sure these have been going on over in the commercial aviation, from the ground stop to five near misses, one of which was just in Boston on Monday. And so I have—obviously, I think everybody does—I'm certain you share the concerns over a potential disaster here. Do you think that workforce policies are a contributing factor at FAA? And would you commit to having the FAA workforce return in-person five days a week? Because our testimony from several weeks ago says that's not occurring right now.”

WASHINGTON: “I want to understand what the direction of the administration is around that. Now, I do think that the critical nature of FAA work—we need folks there, and folks are already there—those safety critical positions, and they have been there through the pandemic, and we need to not forget about them—who have been there at every airport in the country. But, I want to understand exactly where the FAA is on that. And I would look very, very closely— I'm a traditionalist in that respect, in terms of five days a week.”

On how often Mr. Washington regularly visits the air traffic control tower at the Denver Airport:

CAPITO: “Let me ask you this. You've been at Denver airport for two years now… How often do you go to the air traffic control tower to just see what's going on?”

WASHINGTON: “It’s quite often, Senator.”

CAPITO: “Is that like once a week?”

WASHINGTON: “I go there, not once a week, but quite often throughout the year.”

On if Mr. Washington has ever visited a rural air traffic control tower:

CAPITO: “Have you been in a rural air traffic control tower to see the differences?”

WASHINGTON: “I have not, Senator.

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