WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell on Tuesday urged the Federal Aviation Administration to address critical concerns before deciding whether to extend a program that allows Boeing ( BA ) to perform FAA-delegated tasks like inspections and approving repairs.

The FAA in May 2022 opted to renew Boeing's ( BA ) Organization Designation Authorization program for three years, rather than the standard five years, to ensure the planemaker implemented "required improvements."

Boeing's ( BA ) quality and safety efforts have faced harsh criticism since a January 2024 mid-air emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 missing four key bolts.