WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Thursday urged President Joe Biden to abandon his pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, saying Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington isn’t qualified for the job and is legally barred from holding the post because of his military background.
The agency at the heart of U.S. air safety has come under intense scrutiny after a system failure resulted in a nationwide ground stop. It also has seen several terrifyingly close calls in which planes nearly collided, including a near miss between Southwest Airlines and FedEx jets last month at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Washington would make history as the first Black American confirmed to the position and supporters say he would be well positioned to improve the FAA. They cite his experience running major transportation agencies in Denver and Los Angeles County before taking the top job at the Denver airport in 2021.