House Democrats seek watchdog review of AI-powered air traffic control systems
ByEdward Graham,
Managing Editor, Nextgov/FCW
October 14, 2026 04:05 PM ET
The inclusion of AI capabilities has “rightfully raised serious questions about its reliability and safety benefits,” House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Democrats wrote in a letter to GAO.
Almost two dozen Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are calling for a congressional watchdog to audit the Federal Aviation Administration’s creation and use of new tools designed to provide better airspace supervision.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled the White House's air traffic control modernization initiative in May 2025 following several high-profile plane accidents, including a deadly crash between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial airliner near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that January. While the effort includes some brick-and-mortar upgrades, much of the push is focused on upgrading the legacy technologies underpinning air traffic control systems.
In a Tuesday letterled...
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