Lawmakers reached an agreement Tuesday to fund the Federal Aviation Administration for the next four fiscal years, Bloomberg reports.
The bill agreed upon by House and Senate negotiators ends short-term funding trend by providing the agency $63.6 billion, or $15.9 billion a year.
The bill also allocates funds for the FAA’s next generation air traffic modernization program. NextGen will track aircraft with satellites and will also include an upgraded communication system.
The system carries projected costs of $42 billion by 2025, Bloomberg reports. The bill also creates a position for an official to oversee development.
“One of the things that a long-term FAA bill will do is help us continue our transition to the next generation of technology, an aviation that is built for the future, an aviation system that is built to last,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, according to USA Today.
