Burchett presses Johnson and Thune for aviation funding after nationwide ground stop

Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee called on House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Saturday to move legislation funding improvements to air travel infrastructure, following Friday’s nationwide ground stop. The Republican lawmaker urged his party’s leaders to make the issue a priority before Democrats take control of both chambers in January.

Appearing on Fox News’s “Saturday in America,” Burchett blamed outdated equipment and said he expected the Senate to present an obstacle to passing legislation. He urged Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, and Thune, a South Dakota Republican, to “step up to the daggum plate” and approve a clean bill.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the nationwide ground stop at approximately 4 p.m. EST Friday. It remained in effect for roughly four hours. In a briefing after the disruption, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy renewed his appeal for Congress to provide money to modernize the country’s aging air traffic control system, which he described as “incredibly old.”

Duffy offered a possible explanation for the disruption at a Saturday morning press briefing, saying a switch involving a telecommunications line may have triggered the stoppage. Contractor L3Harris had been replacing an older copper wire with a new fiber cable, he said. His remarks followed an explanation Friday that attributed the incident to routers being overloaded with data.

Johnson also called for more funding during an interview Saturday, echoing Duffy’s request for investment in the system. “We don’t really need any investigation … we need further investment,” the speaker said. Burchett’s comments placed responsibility on both Johnson and Thune to advance legislation addressing the infrastructure needs.

Burchett, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, or DOGE, cited the ALERT Act while criticizing the Senate’s record on aviation legislation. The measure addresses aviation safety and the use of technology to prevent collisions. It cleared the House in April but has not received a Senate vote.

The ALERT Act was developed following the fatal 2025 collision involving an Army helicopter and a commercial jet near Reagan Washington National Airport. Burchett pointed to the stalled measure as he pressed congressional leaders for action after the latest disruption to air travel.

Burchett suggested Congress could approve additional FAA funding within a week. With Republicans preparing to give up their congressional majorities in January, he urged the leaders to prioritize the issue and warned that failing to resolve the problem could bring costs greater than the legislation itself, including funerals and lawsuits.