A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, called the Modern Skies Act, provides supplemental funding and authorizes new programs for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. It sets up a pilot program for modernizing aging flagship terminals at up to three transitional hub airports, backed by $10,000,000,000 in appropriations for fiscal year 2027. The legislation also appropriates billions of dollars for air traffic control improvements, including facility consolidation, common automation platforms, and cloud computing infrastructure. Additionally, it funds the construction and replacement of terminal air traffic control facilities and provides discretionary grants for airport infrastructure and terminal development projects. Finally, the bill requires regular reports and briefings to keep Congress informed on expenditures and program statuses.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +5
Is this likely to create jobs?
The bill appropriates billions of dollars for infrastructure projects and air traffic control modernization, which will create jobs in construction, engineering, and aviation.
- Scored +4
Would people in cities be better off under this?
Transitional hub airports and major metropolitan areas benefit directly from pilot programs for flagship terminal modernization.
- Scored +4
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Smaller communities and non-primary airports receive favorable 95 percent federal cost shares for terminal development projects.
The opposite
- Scored -6
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes substantial new federal spending through appropriations totaling over $20 billion for aviation infrastructure and technology.
- Scored -5
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The legislation appropriates billions of dollars in new supplemental spending for fiscal year 2027 without offsetting revenue.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Airport Terminal Modernization: Section 3 establishes a pilot program to issue grants for rehabilitating and modernizing transitional hub airports, which can improve passenger circulation, terminal capacity, baggage systems, and cargo handling facilities for travelers and local communities.
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Air Traffic Control Upgrades: Section 4 appropriates funds to implement a common automation platform, common controller workstations, and cloud computing infrastructure, which directly supports the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system.
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Air Traffic Control Facilities: Section 6 provides $2,000,000,000 under subsection (a)(1) to construct, replace, and improve terminal air traffic control facilities, including the use of digital tower technologies.
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Discretionary Grants for Aging Infrastructure: Section 6 provides $5,000,000,000 under subsection (a)(3) for airport terminal development projects to address aging infrastructure, featuring higher Federal cost shares of 95 percent for small hub, nonhub, and non-primary airports to help smaller communities.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Taxpayer Financial Burden: Sections 3, 4, and 6 appropriate massive amounts of new money out of the Treasury for fiscal year 2027—including $10,000,000,000 for the terminal pilot program, over $10,000,000,000 for air traffic control improvements, and $10,000,000,000 for terminal and airport improvements—which places a heavy financial obligation on American taxpayers.
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Administrative Spending: Sections 3(g) and 6(c)(4) explicitly allow up to 3 percent of the multi-billion-dollar appropriations for the terminal pilot program and airport terminal funds to be used for administrative expenses, diverting millions of taxpayer dollars away from physical construction and directly toward government overhead.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Smaller communities and non-primary airports receive favorable 95 percent federal cost shares for terminal development projects. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Transitional hub airports and major metropolitan areas benefit directly from pilot programs for flagship terminal modernization. Would business owners be better off under this? — Airport and aviation contractors and regional businesses benefit from large-scale federal infrastructure grants and modernization projects. Would union members be better off under this? — Substantial investments in construction and infrastructure projects typically generate union employment opportunities.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation mandates regular briefings and quarterly reporting to appropriate committees of Congress regarding expenditures and program statuses. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill directs federal agency oversight and substantial discretionary grants administered by the Department of Transportation and FAA.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Higher federal cost-share percentages for small hub, nonhub, and non-primary airports directly assist rural and smaller communities with infrastructure upgrades.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — Funding for cloud computing infrastructure and common automation platforms in air traffic control improves the technological security and capability of the national airspace.
- Education And Technology
- Does this get reliable internet to more people? — The bill funds the implementation of cloud computing and modern telecommunications infrastructure supporting the national airspace system.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill appropriates billions of dollars for infrastructure projects and air traffic control modernization, which will create jobs in construction, engineering, and aviation. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Investing in modernizing airport terminals and air traffic control systems can improve commercial efficiency and transport logistics. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Higher federal cost shares for small hub and non-primary airports help smaller communities and local contractors. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes substantial new federal spending through appropriations totaling over $20 billion for aviation infrastructure and technology. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The legislation appropriates billions of dollars in new supplemental spending for fiscal year 2027 without offsetting revenue.
- 9/28/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.