Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, airlines, unions and other groups urged Congress to approve another $30 billion for air traffic control, technology and airport upgrades. The request includes about $10 billion each for tower replacements and technology, plus $7.2 billion to expand a new FAA software system.
Sean Duffy, major airlines, aviation unions and other groups urged Congress to quickly approve another $30 billion for aviation reforms. The request follows Congress’s approval of $12.5 billion over five years in June 2025 for air traffic control upgrades and controller hiring.
About $10 billion would replace aging air traffic control towers, and another $10 billion would fund telecommunications and other technology systems, including cybersecurity upgrades. Airport funding would target medium-sized airports, while about $7.2 billion would expand an FAA software system that uses predictive analytics to manage flights.
The request gained urgency after a telecommunications failure disrupted thousands of flights along the US East Coast. A Government Accountability Office report said the cost of telecommunications upgrades had risen by $4.75 billion to $5.91 billion; FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said outdated copper wires should be replaced by September 2027.
