Congressman Nick Langworthy says the nationwide ground stop issued Friday by the FAA underscores why the nation can "no longer afford" putting off modernizing the agency's infrastructure. In a statement released Friday night, Langworthy -- who chairs the House Aviation Safety Caucus -- said while he was relieved that reports that public safety was not compromised, the disruption caused "enormous inconvenience, stress for travelers and their families, and a yet-to be-determined economic impact." The Western New York Republican added, "Funding this modernization is not a partisan issue. Congress must come together to make that funding a reality and ensure our air traffic control system has the modern equipment and reliable backup systems it needs. The flying public cannot afford continued delays in getting this done." The ground stop was lifted after more than four hours. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has called on Congress to provide an additional $50 billion in funding to modernize critical equipment.
