September 15, 2026. Media contact: media@raa.org
Washington, D.C. – The Regional Airline Association (RAA) applauds the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for passing the Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act (H.R. 8597), bipartisan legislation led by Representatives Nick Begich (R-AK) and Laura Gillen (D-NY) to strengthen safety at airports participating in the Federal Contract Tower Program.
H.R. 8597 would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to acquire and install approved Airborne Position Reference Tools (APRTs) at contract towers that currently lack Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems (STARS) or other situational awareness tools. The bill also provides for reimbursement or credit for airports that have already invested in approved situational awareness systems and authorizes federal funding for APRT acquisition, installation, and operating expenses.
RAA urged Congress to address this gap and has worked closely with lawmakers as the legislation developed.
“Regional airlines operate every day at airports where contract towers are an essential part of the safety system. Giving controllers better tools to see and understand the traffic around them is a practical step that can make those airports safer. We appreciate Representatives Begich and Gillen for their partnership with RAA in developing this bipartisan legislation, and we thank the Committee for moving it forward. We urge the full House to pass it,” said RAA President & CEO Faye Malarkey Black.
The Regional Airline Association (RAA) provides a unified voice of advocacy for North American regional airlines aimed at promoting a safe, reliable, and strong regional airline industry. RAA serves as an important support network connecting regional airlines and industry business partners. Regional airlines operate 32% of U.S. scheduled passenger flights and provide the only source of scheduled air service to 64% of the nation’s airports. Regional airlines provide more than 70% of the air service in West Virginia (92%), Alaska (85%), North Dakota (80%), Kansas (75%), Arkansas (75%), Alabama (75%), and Vermont (74%). Regional airlines provide more than half of the air service in Mississippi (68%), South Dakota (68%), Maine (67%), Idaho (67%), Wyoming (66%), New Hampshire (63%), Montana (63%), Wisconsin (53%), Iowa (53%), Virginia (52%), Kentucky (51%), and Indiana (51%).