$12.5B Slotted for ATC Revamp After Congress Approves Federal Budget

The “Big Beautiful Bill” is on course to allocate $12.5 billion for air traffic control (ATC) modernization and aviation safety reform efforts after Republican majorities in both the House and Senate voted to approve the new federal budget this week.

The bill was initially approved by the House in late May. A month later, the Senate voted 51-50 to approve an amended version of the bill, which went back to the House for another approval on Thursday. 

No House or Senate Democrats voted for the bill, though two Senate Republicans and one House Republican did cross party lines to vote in opposition. Despite this, a Republican majority in both houses was able to push the legislation through Congress and to the president’s desk.

The bill is now set to be signed into law by President Donald Trump on Friday.

Big Budget for Big ATC Reforms

The amended 870-page bill keeps most of the originally proposed budgeting for its “Air Traffic Control Improvements” section, though there are some changes into what specifically is being funded.

The newest amended version of the bill allocates the following:

• $3 billion for replacing radar systems
• $4.75 billion for telecommunications, infrastructure, and systems replacements
• $500 million for runway safety technologies.
• $1.9 billion to build a new air traffic control center to merge and replace three existing unspecified ATC centers.
• $1 billion to restructure debt and consolidate TRACONs for divestment, consolidation, or integration.
• $100 million for ATC advanced training technologies

Several additional expenditures are also listed totaling $12.5 billion. This funding requires that the FAA present a quarterly report to Congress detailing expenditures incurred from this budget.

Notably, $1 billion that the House bill originally allocated for ATC recruitment, training, and technology efforts has seemingly been distributed to other budget lines. It’s unclear whether or not these other lines will directly address ATC hiring initiatives specifically.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy supports the legislation to revitalize ATC infrastructure and called on Congress to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last week.