Senator Pushes Modern Skies Act After Ground Stop
Sen. Eric Schmitt urged passage of the bill after an FAA ground stop lasting more than four hours disrupted air travel nationwide.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Air Travel
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A nationwide FAA ground stop lasting more than four hours delayed and canceled more than 11,000 flights. The FAA said the stop was issued as new technology being added to the air traffic control system overloaded antiquated, analogue equipment.
Why it matters
The disruption has left thousands of Americans stranded through the weekend, renewing debate over the condition of the nation's air traffic control infrastructure. Schmitt has tied the outage to aging systems and is backing legislation that would direct new federal spending to modernize them.
The Modern Skies Act lists $10 billion for an aging terminal pilot program, $10.1 billion for air traffic control modernization and $10 billion for terminals, towers and other airport improvements. An FAA estimate projects air traffic volume will rise more than 40% over the next two years.
The players
Eric Schmitt
Eric Schmitt is a Republican United States senator from Missouri who has pushed for air traffic control modernization.
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the U.S. agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation and the national air traffic control system.
The details
Schmitt introduced the Modern Skies Act in September and called for its passage after the Friday, November 13 ground stop. He said the bill has the support of the Trump administration and would build on $12.5 billion in air traffic control funding already provided through the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Timeline
September 2026: Schmitt introduces the Modern Skies Act at a news conference.
Friday, November 13, 2026: A nationwide FAA ground stop lasting more than four hours is issued, and Schmitt calls for passage on X.
Next two years: The FAA projects air traffic volume will increase by more than 40%.
Roadmap
The Modern Skies Act would extend the $12.5 billion in air traffic control funding already provided through the One Big Beautiful Bill with a new round of proposed spending. The push comes as the FAA projects air traffic volume will grow more than 40% over the next two years.
Travelers should check flight status before heading to the airport, since the ground stop caused delays and cancellations for more than 11,000 flights. Flyers with upcoming trips may face continued disruption as air traffic volume grows.
The takeaway
Aging air traffic control equipment is now a direct factor in whether flights leave on time, and proposed federal funding would determine how quickly that infrastructure is upgraded. Travelers should watch for congressional action on the Modern Skies Act.
Further reading
Explore more in Air Travel for coverage of flight disruptions and airline news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kctv5.
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Should the federal government spend $30 billion upgrading airports and air traffic control?
