U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he will ask Congress for another $30 billion to modernize air traffic control towers, software, telecommunications systems and airport facilities. The request follows a major telecommunications failure Monday that disrupted thousands of flights, with about 9,500 flights delayed or canceled after a switch failure and an accidentally cut fiber-optic cable. About $10 billion would replace aging control towers and another $10 billion would fund telecommunications and other air traffic control technology. Some of the money would expand a software-based FAA system using predictive analytics to manage flights. Congress approved $12.5 billion over five years for air traffic control reforms in June 2025, but a government report said additional funding is needed to complete the program's first phase. The report also said projected telecommunications upgrade costs rose from $4.75 billion to $5.91 billion. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said outdated copper telecommunications wires should be fully replaced by September 2027.