May 21, 2026
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy was on back on Capitol Hill again this afternoon where he discussed the administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. His appearance before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation comes after the panel approved its FY27 spending bill earlier in the day.
ATC Modernization: Secretary Duffy told lawmakers that DOT and FAA are making progress on upgrading the air traffic control system, which was made possible by a $12.5 billion down payment from Congress. But he said that he needs another $10.2 billion, in part, to pay for software upgrades that are necessary to accompany infrastructure investments and to accommodate legacy operators and new entrants.
Secretary Duffy answered a question about a possible fee to pay for additional ATC investments, but he told lawmakers that he would prefer Congress provide additional funds instead. He said his scaled-back plan for $10.2 billion excludes funding for most air traffic control tower upgrades. But he suggested that Congress should provide additional funds to repair aging towers.
“Well, everyone here has a problem with a tower in their community,” Secretary Duffy said. “Everyone calls me about their towers because they're really old.”
IIJA Funding: Subcommittee Ranking Member James Clyburn (D-SC) called on his Republican colleagues and the White House to extend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which expires at the end of the fiscal year. He pointed out that IIJA has provided $36.8 billion annually for infrastructure upgrades.
However, Subcommittee Chairman Steve Womack (R-AK) warned about using advanced appropriations to continue to fund infrastructure investments. He also called for the appropriations committee to have sole jurisdiction over any possible additional funding.
IIJA included $20 billion for airports -- $15 billion for airport infrastructure grants and $5 billion for airport terminal projects. AAAE is continuing to urge Congress to extend the airport IIJA programs beyond FY26. We are arguing that without an extension, federal investments in airports would drop precipitously by about $4 billion, leaving a critical void in funding projects that enhance safety, upgrade aging facilities, and improve the travel experience for passengers.
Small Community Programs: Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) voiced his support for the Essential Air Service program and urged Secretary Duffy to cut regulations, not services. The administration is proposing to cut EAS by $372 million. However, Secretary Duffy tried to assuage lawmakers by pointing out that the administration provided funding for the program during the government shutdown last year.
Related Information
Video from today’s hearing.