House committee member calls U.S. air traffic control system "unsustainable" at hearing

An unidentified member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure opened a subcommittee hearing on air traffic control modernization by saying the country’s air traffic control system is "unsustainable." The member gave a five-minute opening statement that framed modernization, staffing and funding as urgent challenges for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The lawmaker cited a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment and the GAO’s long-running designation of FAA modernization efforts as high risk, noting the agency has faced similar findings since 1995. According to figures the speaker quoted from the GAO study, 51 of 138 ATC systems were identified as unsustainable and another 54 systems were classified as potentially unsustainable; combined, the speaker said, 105 of 138 systems were listed as unsustainable or potentially unsustainable. The speaker added that 58 of those systems have "critical operational impacts on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace." The opening statement also noted the national air transportation system moves nearly 3,000,000 passengers daily.

The member discussed funding constraints and technical hurdles, saying a finite capital budget and unstable funding streams have forced the FAA to spend substantial sums on maintaining older systems instead of investing in capital improvements. "The agency is forced to the into the impossible predicament of having to dedicate vast amounts of money on simply sustaining old and outdated systems, leaving little lehi over for the capital improvement projects," the member said. The speaker described modernizing systems that operate 24/7 as a "technical challenge" that will require coordination across stakeholders.

The opening also referenced bipartisan interest in modernization efforts: the member said President Trump and "Secretary Duffy" have voiced support for "historic investments in air traffic control facilities and technologies," and called the moment a "unique opportunity" for the subcommittee and aviation stakeholders to coalesce around a modernization plan. The statement concluded by thanking witnesses expected to testify and by saying the hearing should help shape solutions.

The remarks consisted of an opening statement at the start of the meeting and set the hearing’s agenda; witnesses were scheduled to provide testimony next. No motions, votes or formal committee actions were recorded in the transcript excerpt provided.