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House aviation subcommittee presses FAA on implementation, ATC modernization and staffing
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Summary
Witnesses and members told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation that key provisions of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 are behind schedule and that modernization funding and controller staffing must speed up after recent failures at major facilities such as Newark.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation held an oversight hearing on implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, as members and witnesses urged faster deployment of technology, clearer timelines and renewed emphasis on hiring.
The hearing, convened by the subcommittee, centered on whether the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration are meeting statutory deadlines and spending proposed funds fast enough to modernize the air traffic control (ATC) system. Subcommittee members repeatedly cited recent outages and delays, particularly in the New York/Newark airspace, as evidence that aging equipment and understaffing have created operational risk.
Why it matters: The 2024 reauthorization included hundreds of agency mandates, authorization of funding for modernization and multiple workforce provisions. Witnesses said delays or cuts in implementing those provisions risked both current operations and the United States’ leadership in aviation.
Darren Pleasence, president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), told lawmakers the law included “a down payment” toward modernization and stressed the need to get projects moving. Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), urged full implementation of the reauthorization and backed the administration’s plan to invest in people, facilities and equipment, including recruitment of 14,000 air traffic controllers.
Several union and frontline witnesses echoed the call for staffing and systems upgrades. Jody Reben, a 737 captain at Southwest Airlines and president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), described specific operational strains and supported technology upgrades and controller hiring. Sarah Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said flight attendants and other frontline workers are experiencing longer duty days and greater fatigue when delays and outages occur, adding that “safety first, always.”
Committee members and witnesses identified three immediate priorities: - Rapid spending and deployment on communications and redundancy where copper infrastructure has failed, particularly in the New York metropolitan area; members said fiber and additional redundancy must be installed quickly. Members pointed to recent outages that degraded radar and communications for periods and forced facility slowdowns. - Controller hiring and retention. Witnesses and members described chronic staffing shortfalls at air traffic facilities and urged acceleration of recruitment, training and the 14,000-controller objective the administration proposed. - Program execution and digitization. Multiple witnesses said FAA processes remain encumbered by outdated systems and paperwork; they recommended moving to commercially supported, cloud-based systems where possible and reducing bespoke customization that slows procurement and deployment.
Committee chair and members repeatedly asked whether funding authorized or proposed — including a $12.5 billion proposal referenced during the hearing — is being matched with concrete project timelines at the FAA. Witnesses said readiness varies by program: some rulemakings and safety actions have moved forward, while others remain delayed.
The hearing included detailed exchanges on NextGen and other modernization programs, with witnesses warning that decades-old systems and “a patchwork of technologies” increase maintenance costs and threaten resilience. Witnesses also defended the U.S. airspace system’s overall safety record while arguing that renewed investment and clearer accountability are urgent.
Looking ahead: Lawmakers said Congress will continue oversight and pressed the administration to deliver program schedules and metrics. Several members signaled interest in appropriations language and other levers to ensure investments go to high-priority equipment and staffing needs.
For now, subcommittee leaders left the record open for 15 days for additional information from witnesses and signaled follow-up hearings to press the FAA and DOT on modernization timetables.
