Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act

Tim Sheehy

Republican · MT · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Jeff Merkley (D-OR)Original· 2026-02-26
• Ron Wyden (D-OR)Original· 2026-02-26
• Steve Daines (R-MT)Original· 2026-02-26

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

2026-09-16

Source: Congress.gov

This bill would improve how air traffic controllers and pilots see and track aircraft in the sky by enhancing the technology and information systems they use to monitor plane movements and prevent collisions. The changes would likely make air travel safer by giving controllers and pilots better real-time awareness of where other aircraft are located, especially in busy airspace or during bad weather. Airlines, pilots, air traffic control facilities, and ultimately passengers would benefit from the improved safety measures.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 3929 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3929 To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire and install certified airborne position reference tools at air traffic control towers, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 26, 2026 Mr. Sheehy (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Daines, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire and install certified airborne position reference tools at air traffic control towers, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act''. SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO AIR TRAFFIC SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. (a) Airborne Position Reference Tool Installation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall acquire and install certified Airborne Position Reference Tools at air traffic control towers of the Federal Aviation Administration that are-- (1) operating under contract with the Federal Aviation Administration pursuant to section 47124 of title 49, United States Code; and (2) not equipped with Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems or other situational awareness tools. (b) Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System Installation and Maintenance.--Section 47124(f)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``(2) Installation and maintenance.--For any tower operated under the Contract Tower Program that is not equipped with Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems or other situational awareness tools as of the date of enactment of the Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act, not later than 1 year after such date, the Secretary shall purchase a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, or any equivalent system, and install and maintain such system using services directly from an original equipment manufacturer or services of the Federal Aviation Administration.''. (c) Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System Funding.-- Section 47124(f)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon; and (2) by striking subparagraphs (C) through (E) and inserting the following: ``(C) shall establish, in consultation with contract tower operators, an appropriate training program to periodically train air traffic controllers employed by such operators to ensure proper and efficient integration and use of the situational awareness equipment and technology described in paragraph (1) into contract tower operations.''. (d) Retroactivity.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Transportation shall provide to any airport sponsor or air traffic control tower described in subsection (a)-- (1) reimbursement for any certified situational awareness system (including Airborne Position Reference Tools in accordance with subsection (a)) that was independently acquired and installed prior to the date on which the Administrator installs any such system under subsection (a); or (2) reimbursement or retroactive grant funding in accordance with section 47124(b) of title 49, United States Code, for any certified situational awareness system (including a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System) that was independently acquired and installed prior to the effective date of the amendments made by subsection (b). (e) Authorized Expenditures for Air Navigation Facilities and Equipment.--Section 48101(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(10) The acquisition, installation, and annual operating expenses of certified Airborne Position Reference Tools at air traffic control towers that are operating under contract…

with the Federal Aviation Administration under section 47124 and are not equipped with Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems or other situational awareness tools.''. <all>

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