U.S. Senate Exploring Next $10B in Funding for ATC

Lawmakers are looking for vehicles for a possible second $10 billion tranche of funding for U.S. air traffic modernization, with a supplemental appropriations bill becoming one potential opportunity, according to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas).

Speaking to reporters Monday morning during a press conference at the kickoff of the Farnborough International Airshow, Moran said the administration’s request for $31.5 billion to build a new air traffic control (ATC) system is a “huge necessity.” He added this is the first in a long time—“maybe the first time since I’ve been in the United States Senate”—that there has been such a concerted effort to improve the ATC system.

Moran, who is leading a congressional delegation of nine U.S. senators at the Farnborough International Airshow this week, further stated that he has been looking for opportunities for the next tranche of about $10 billion for ATC modernization, building on the $12.5 billion provided in the sweeping budget reconciliation package, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that Congress passed in 2025. The Trump Administration maintains that the initial $12.5 billion is enabling the FAA to update outdated radars, wiring, and other systems, but $31.5 billion in total is necessary for a complete overhaul.

A budget reconciliation bill could be a likely possibility, but “I’m not certain there’s going to be a reconciliation bill that passes the House and the Senate,” he said.  He pointed to a planned Senate Appropriations Committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday on a supplemental funding request and said such a bill “seems another opportunity.” While the administration did not request the additional ATC funding specifically for a supplemental bill, Moran noted, “If it’s going to get done, this would be one of the places that you would expect us to have any success.”

Other members of the delegation—and of the Senate Appropriations Committee also expressed support. Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) noted the stressors and challenges on air traffic controllers against a backdrop of new technologies and advancements, and said, “We must continue to invest and modernize [to] bring everything up. It’s for everyone’s safety.”

However, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) cautioned that it’s not just about funding. “It’s also about looking at the rules. We cannot be expecting air traffic controllers to work six days a week for months at a time on the schedule that they’re working and not have challenges.” She added that the workforce rules need review.

Meanwhile, Moran also stressed to AIN the importance of getting the safety bill, the Rotor Act, out of Congress before the end of the current session.

The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate each passed their own respective versions of a safety bill (the House version is the Alert Act) addressing National Transportation Safety Board recommendations stemming from the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision of a Bombardier CRJ700 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk. The two bills differ in requirements surrounding ADS-B In/ACAS X mandates, among other areas. Moran said that while they are not formally being conferenced, “it’s being conferenced by the parties that are trying to resolve the differences between the House version and the Senate version.”

While it seems like the House and Senate are close, “It seemed that way for quite a while now, and I would say I would start by saying I don’t think the differences were insurmountable to begin with. This is not like we’re miles apart.”

Noting his strong support for the Rotor Act, he does believe some modifications could be made to satisfy House members. As far as getting it through Congress, he believes that can still happen. “What I’m worried about is that if this lingers beyond the end of this year’s session, it would be another one of those air traffic safety measures that we talk about after a tragedy and then never get enough accomplished to make sure another tragedy doesn’t happen,” he said. “My goal is to make sure that this year does not end, the session does not end, without a form of Rotor signed by the president.”

All nine members of the delegation gathered for the press conference hosted by the Aerospace Industries Association. AIA president and CEO Eric Fanning opened with the importance of aerospace and defense to the U.S., noting that it’s a $1 trillion-a-year revenue industry with exports having jumped 25% year over year. The industry employs two million people across all 50 states.

Moran called the airshow “a significant component of our work,” highlighting the importance of ensuring the industry is supported. Shaheen added that she believed this year marked the biggest presence yet for the U.S. at Farnborough, “which is really important, as we think about [the fact that] we were all in Paris last year for the airshow and what we heard there was the increased presence from China.”

The senators fielded questions on a variety of topics, including the status of the National Defense Authorization Act, which they all agreed needed to be passed expeditiously without a continuing resolution. They all stressed that stop-gap measures were bad for industry and the country. However, Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) warned: “We’ve got the midterm elections coming, and I don’t know what’s going to happen on any of this stuff right now. Both the House and the Senate, they’re disorganized.” He likened the state now to “the happy hour at an airport Chili’s.”

Moran also stressed the need to continue to work with the administration to shield against aerospace tariffs.