Lawmakers approved a bipartisan spending deal that funds 2,500 new air traffic controllers and sends $2.4 billion to Amtrak. The package includes $514 million to preserve the Essential Air Service program for rural routes and adds $824 million annually to modernize control towers. It also sets aside $2 million for an independent study of Washington, D.C. airspace after a January 2025 crash that killed 67 and exposed aviation-safety gaps.
Congress Approves Bipartisan Spending Deal Funding 2,500 Air Traffic Controllers and $2.4B for Amtrak
The air traffic control tower at New York's Laguardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York City, U.S., November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Ryan Murphy
WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan spending agreement on Tuesday that provides funding for 2,500 new air traffic controllers and allocates $2.4 billion to Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail operator.
Key Aviation and Rail Investments
The package also designates $514 million to subsidize air service for rural communities through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, rejecting a White House proposal to cut the program by half. In addition, the deal boosts annual funding to modernize air traffic control towers by $824 million, a move aimed at improving infrastructure and safety across the system.
Independent Study After Fatal Crash
The bill sets aside $2 million for an independent study of the Washington, D.C. airspace following a January 2025 collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet that killed 67 people and revealed significant weaknesses in aviation safety procedures and airspace management.
Lawmakers and transportation officials have said the new resources are intended to speed hiring and training of controllers, strengthen air-traffic infrastructure, and ensure continued air service for smaller communities.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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