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S3929119th CongressWALLET

Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act

Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would require the FAA to install certified Airborne Position Reference Tools (APRT) at contract air traffic control towers that lack STARS or similar situational awareness systems. It would also set standards for training and reimbursements to speed deployment and use of the equipment.

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  • Contract tower operators and air traffic controllers would get situational awareness systems installed within one year if their tower lacks STARS or equivalent tools. The bill would also require a periodic training program developed with operators so controllers can use the new equipment.
  • Airport sponsors or towers that already bought certified situational awareness systems on their own would be eligible for reimbursement or retroactive grant funding for those systems.
  • The Department of Transportation and FAA would be able to purchase, install, and pay annual operating costs for certified APRT systems for Contract Tower Program sites, and installations may be done by the FAA or original equipment manufacturers.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More safety tools for contract towers

If enacted, the bill would require the FAA to buy and install certified Airborne Position Reference Tools at FAA contract towers that lack STARS or similar situational awareness tools. The Secretary would also have to buy, install, and maintain STARS or equivalent systems for eligible contract towers, using original equipment manufacturers or FAA services, not later than 1 year after enactment. The bill would authorize spending to acquire, install, and cover annual operating costs for certified APRT at eligible contract towers. It would require the Department to reimburse airport sponsors or towers that already bought qualifying systems before the FAA installations. The bill would also require the FAA to set up periodic training, in consultation with contract tower operators, to help controllers use the new equipment.

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Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

MT • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/26/2026

  • Steve Daines

    MT • R

    Sponsored 2/26/2026

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/26/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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