Overview
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy formally asked Congress on Monday for an additional $30 billion and Sen. Eric Schmitt introduced the Modern Skies Act to authorize the funding.
- The request is organized as three $10 billion programs for new ATC architecture and software, replacement of towers and runway infrastructure, and grants for mid‑sized airports.
- Officials cited recent telecom breakdowns, including a Philadelphia TRACON outage and a severed backup fiber line in New Jersey, as examples of single points of failure the plan would eliminate.
- FAA leaders say core digital architecture and software work could be finished by the end of 2028 while construction of towers and full airport upgrades will take longer, and the agency projects large long‑term savings from modernization.
- The package has wide industry and White House backing but must win congressional appropriation and faces scrutiny over rising cost estimates after an initial $12.5 billion down payment and GAO concerns about lifecycle cost and schedule.