A bill to fund and modernize the Federal Aviation Administration is headed to President Biden's desk after Congress approved it.
The bill would fund the FAA for the next five years.
It includes $66.7 billion for FAA operations to fund key safety programs, from aircraft certification reform to air carrier oversight, and provides money to hire and retain safety-critical staff like air traffic controllers.
A new requirement would force the agency to hire and train thousands of additional air traffic controllers.
There is a shortage of approximately 3,000 air traffic controllers nationwide.
The bill requires the FAA to implement improved staffing standards developed with the labor workforce to close staffing gaps. The bill also requires FAA to set maximum hiring targets to increase air traffic controller staffing.
The $105 billion appropriations bill would fund the administration through 2028.
The bill also sets aside $17.8 billion for FAA facilities and equipment to fund the modernization of its systems
$19.35 billion is earmarked for FAA airport infrastructure improvement grants. It will be available for more than 3,300 airports nationwide to meet increasing demand and buy newly developed technologies.
The bill also funds the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for five years.