WASHINGTON, June 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce

Committee said on Wednesday it would hold a June 11 hearing on

President Donald Trump's nomination of Republic Airways CEO

Bryan Bedford to head the Federal Aviation Administration.

Bedford, a pilot and industry veteran of more than 30 years,

was nominated in March and previously headed two other carriers

and oversaw a significant expansion of Republic Airways, which

operates regional flights for American Airlines ( AAL ), United

Airlines and Delta Air Lines ( DAL ).

Indiana-based Republic is one of the biggest regional

airlines in North America, operating a fleet of more than 200

Embraer ( ERJ ) aircraft with 900 daily flights in the United

States and Canada. In April, Mesa Air Group ( MESA ) agreed to

merge with Republic in an all-stock deal.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has asked Congress for

tens of billions of dollars to modernize the aging U.S. air

traffic control system to address airport congestion, flight

delays and a shortage of 3,500 certified controllers.

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 a catastrophic crash in January involving an American

Airlines ( AAL ) regional jet operated by PSA Airlines and an Army

helicopter killed 67 and prompted new calls for action.

The next FAA administrator will also face challenges on how

to oversee Boeing ( BA ) and when to lift a production cap of 38

planes per month on the 737 MAX imposed after a January 2024

mid-air emergency.

The FAA last month convened an emergency task force and

said it was fast-tracking urgent steps to prevent additional

telecom outages at the facility overseeing Newark air traffic

after three incidents have shaken public confidence and

disrupted hundreds of flights.

Controllers overseeing planes at the busy airport near

Manhattan lost contact with aircraft on April 28 for 90 seconds,

an incident that raised serious alarm.

Last month, the FAA ordered a reduction in flights to a

maximum of 28 arrivals and 28 departures per hour at Newark

until runway construction was completed.

Duffy wants new funding for airport equipment to prevent

near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic

controller hiring and retention.

Airlines and others have called for at least $31 billion

in spending. The U.S. House has passed legislation that includes

$12.5 billion in initial spending on air traffic control reform,

including $2.5 billion for air traffic tower and contract-tower

replacements.