Aviation safety is under scrutiny as Rep. Nick Langworthy, (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Aviation Safety Caucus, criticizes the former Biden administration for prioritizing diversity initiatives over essential air traffic control (ATC) modernization. Recent incidents, including a 90-second radar blackout at Newark Liberty International Airport and a fatal mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., underscore the urgency of addressing the nation’s aging aviation infrastructure.
Langworthy points to the bipartisan infrastructure bill as a missed opportunity to revamp the ATC system. “That was before I came to Congress, but, you know, you had just mistaken priorities in that, all this DEI policy, DEI staffing, that all got baked into the cake,” he said. “They could have taken that money and spent it on real modernization of what is critical infrastructure in this country.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s current challenges include a shortage of certified air traffic controllers and outdated equipment. Recent reports indicate that the U.S. experiences approximately 1,000 ATC equipment failures weekly due to antiquated technology from the late 1980s and early 1990s . A notable incident involved a 90-second radar and communication blackout at Newark Liberty International Airport, caused by a failed copper wire, highlighting the fragility of the system.
Langworthy emphasized the importance of proper funding and staffing for aviation safety. “We had the longest period of incident-free aviation in this country’s history, where we didn’t have a commercial air crash from the time the crash happened in Buffalo, in my district, back in 2009, to just this year, and what happened at [Ronald Reagan Airport]. And it was avoidable,” he stated.
In response to these challenges, Republicans are proposing a $12 billion investment in ATC modernization through President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” via the budget reconciliation process. Langworthy expressed his commitment to supporting this initiative, stating, “I will absolutely lead the fight for [Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy] and the president on their plan to modernize our aircraft.”
The FAA has announced plans to replace outdated copper telecommunications with modern fiber-optic systems and increase controller staffing . However, Langworthy insists that more decisive action is needed. “When Secretary Duffy and the president roll this out as a spending priority, we have to frontload this process. We have to get them the resources that they need to get this done, because the flying public — everyone’s lives hang in the balance on this,” he concluded.
