Congress passes FAA funding bill
Prohibits ATC privatization; boosts modernization, pilot medical process
A new government funding bill signed into law on February 4 will deliver major investments in air traffic control modernization, controller staffing, and addressing medical certification delays—while also blocking any effort to privatize the ATC system.
H.R.7148 provides funding for the vast majority of government agencies through September 30—including the Department of Transportation.
It also includes $100 million for the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine, including funding to raise the top pay for FAA physicians to improve hiring and retention, and $3 million to modernize its information management system and reduce processing times for pilots.
In addition, the law prohibits the use of funds to “plan, design, or implement” privatizing the ATC system—which AOPA has consistently and strongly opposed—while continuing to support ongoing ATC modernization efforts.
AOPA has pushed back against calls to privatize ATC for years, pointing out that national air traffic control systems that have privatized—such as those in Canada and the United Kingdom—face challenges with funding, staffing, and technology while general aviation pilots suffer decreased access and increased costs.
“This is a forward-thinking piece of legislation, and I commend the House and Senate appropriators for developing such a package and the president for signing it. Taking privatization off the table provides a clear path forward for everyone as the entire aviation industry unites around the long-overdue modernization of our nation’s air traffic control system,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon. “Privatization would take years and cost billions, distracting from the work that is already underway. We will continue to work with Congress, the FAA, and other stakeholders in the Modern Skies Coalition to support ongoing ATC modernization efforts.”
The Modern Skies Coalition, made up of more than 50 aviation companies and organizations, including AOPA, was formed when Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a major overhaul of the ATC system in May.
The funding law also requires FAA leadership to provide monthly briefings on ATC modernization work.
