Congress Targets Air Traffic Control Crisis After Newark Blackout Sparks $12.5B Modernization Push

A recent blackout at Newark Liberty International Airport has sounded alarms, exposing the fragile state of America’s air traffic control system. For 90 seconds, controllers in Philadelphia, managing New York’s bustling airspace, lost radar and communication with planes mid-flight—a heart-stopping glitch caused by a single fried copper wire. This isn’t just a one-off; it’s a wake-up call for a system running on outdated tech.

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee, is stepping up. He’s launching bipartisan roundtable talks to tackle the crisis, focusing on how to smartly spend $12.5 billion allocated for modernization. Nehls told WTFNewsRoom, "We’re bringing in experts—tech gurus, fiber optic pros—to figure out priorities. This is taxpayer money, so we’re listening, not just talking."

The first meeting, set for early June, will include a balanced panel of two Republicans and two Democrats. Their mission? Craft a plan to drag air traffic control into the 21st century, replacing archaic wires with cutting-edge systems. Nehls emphasized a deliberate approach: "We’ve got the funds. Now, we need to know who spends it and what matters most."

The Newark incident, where controllers were briefly blind and deaf to aircraft, underscores the urgency. With air travel rebounding, the stakes couldn’t be higher. These talks could shape safer skies—or, if mishandled, leave us stuck in the analog age.