What is the Modern Skies Act? Bill would put $30B toward air traffic, airport upgrades
A bill before Congress would direct about $30 billion toward modernizing the nation's air traffic control system and upgrading aging airports.
Official response and confirmed impact
The Modern Skies Act , which was introduced in September by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Rep.
Congress previously approved $12.5 billion for initial upgrades.
In wake of Friday's nationwide ground stop , U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the time is now for Congress to act.
"America, when do you want to start building a brand new system?" Duffy said. "Give us the money and let us finish the build.
The proposal would provide about $10.1 billion for air traffic control technology, including a shared automation platform and controller workstation, cloud and telecommunications infrastructure, and air traffic management systems.
Incident under investigation
Tracey Mann, R-Kan., would fund the next phase of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) modernization effort.
"How many times does this have to happen before Congress gives the money to fix it?" Duffy said, noting that a complete overhaul would cost approximately $50 billion.
