Modern Skies Act
Provides federal funding for airport terminal projects and air traffic control upgrades, including grants for qualifying older terminals.
In the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee since Sept. 28, 2026, 10 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 28, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Airports and the air traffic system depend on terminals and control facilities to move passengers and aircraft. The Modern Skies Act would provide federal funding for airport terminal projects and air traffic control upgrades, including a grant pilot for certain airports with older terminals. It would also let the FAA transfer funds among specified air traffic control purposes.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Create a terminal modernization pilot
The Secretary of Transportation would award grants to sponsors of no more than 3 qualifying transitional hub airports for terminal rehabilitation and modernization. The bill appropriates $10,000,000,000 for the pilot in fiscal year 2027, available until spent; the federal share of a project could be up to 90 percent.
- Fund air traffic control upgrades
The bill appropriates $300,000,000 for consolidating terminal air traffic control facilities, $7,200,000,000 for a common automation platform and controller workstation, $2,000,000,000 for cloud and telecommunications infrastructure, and $600,000,000 for air traffic flow management technology. The funds would be available until spent, and the FAA could transfer money among these purposes.
- Add airport and terminal grants
The bill appropriates $2,000,000,000 for terminal air traffic control facilities, $3,000,000,000 for discretionary grants under existing airport programs, and $5,000,000,000 for grants addressing aging airport terminal infrastructure, all in fiscal year 2027 and available until spent. For the terminal-infrastructure grants, the federal share would be 80 percent at large and medium hub airports and 95 percent at small hub, nonhub, and nonprimary airports.
- Allow transfers between existing funds
The FAA could transfer amounts among the funding paragraphs in section 40003(a) of Public Law 119-21 to implement the new air traffic control system. It would have to describe those transfers in its reports under that law.
- Require spending reports
The FAA would report to the relevant congressional committees on expenditures from the air traffic control funding. The Secretary of Transportation would also brief those committees on the terminal pilot program.
The bill directs funding toward airport terminal infrastructure it describes as aging, as well as air traffic control facilities and technology. The practical stakes include how federal grants support airport construction and how the FAA can direct money toward air traffic control upgrades.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 28, 2026SENATESEP 28, 2026By Sen. SchmittReferred to Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 28, 2026COMMERCE, SCIENCE, & TRANSPORTATION NOWSEP 28, 2026In committee for 10 daysNo hearing yet
- 10 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 282026SEP 28, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- SEP 282026SEP 28, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 10, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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