WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) - The Senate Commerce

Committee on Wednesday voted 15 to 13 to approve the nomination

Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford to head the Federal Aviation

Administration but is not hiking proposed funding to overhaul

air traffic control.

All Republicans voted in favor, while Democrats voted against

after some cited Bedford's refusal to commit to uphold the

1,500-hour training rule for co-pilots.

Bedford has pledged to maintain tough oversight of Boeing ( BA ), which

came under harsh criticism from the National Transportation

Safety Board Tuesday for a mid-air emergency involving a new 737

MAX 9 missing four key bolts.

Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz on June 5 proposed

$12.5 billion for air traffic control funding but since then

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has urged lawmakers

to add billions and said he supported

at least $20 billion.

The Trump administration wants to completely overhaul the

FAA's air traffic control system after a mid-air collision on

January 29 between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American

Airlines ( AAL ) jet near Washington Reagan National Airport.

All 67 people aboard the aircraft died.

Cruz released revised text Wednesday on the massive tax and

budget bill that leaves the $12.5 billion for air traffic

control unchanged.

Duffy wants funding to purchase new radios and network

connections, replace 618 radars, install anti-collision tarmac

technology at 200 airports, build six new air traffic control

centers and expand the FAA's network of real-time aircraft

traffic information.

He also wants funding for airport equipment to prevent

near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic

controller hiring and retention.

Major aerospace companies and airlines have called for at

least $31 billion in funding to fix the FAA's crumbling air

traffic control equipment and radar systems, build new towers

and improve runway safety.

The FAA's air traffic control network's woes have been

years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps,

near-misses and the catastrophic crash in January spiked public

alarm and prompted new calls for action.