Aviation sector experiences an influx as health care industry experiences a decline
In a historic move, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on July 4, 2025, marking a significant investment of USD 12.5 billion in modernising the air traffic control (ATC) systems across the United States. The bill, which also makes permanent the 2017 tax reductions, has, however, sparked controversy due to concerns raised by the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) about its potential impact on the US judicial system.
The investment in the US aviation sector aims to improve safety, modernise infrastructure, and address critical shortfalls in technology and personnel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will receive long-term funding from the investment, which will allow Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to begin implementing the administration's plan to overhaul the system with new, modern technology.
Airlines for America (A4A) praised President Trump for signing the ATC investment into law, with A4A President Nicholas Calio stating that the initial funding will enable the much-needed overhaul. Calio framed the investment as an issue of consumer protection, making air travel safer and more efficient. He also praised President Trump for having the resolve to take on this vast undertaking.
The investment follows sustained pressure from airline bigwigs, who have warned that the current air traffic control system is failing the travelling public. The CEOs of 10 US carriers wrote a letter to Congress, citing a 2023 FAA report which warned that chronic understaffing at the FAA's Air Traffic Organization was compromising the system's margin of safety.
However, the CLC has raised concerns about provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that could impact the US judicial system. Key concerns include a provision that could undermine judicial independence and the rule of law by severely limiting judges' ability to enforce their own rulings and hold government officials accountable for breaking the law.
The CLC argues that another clause in the bill violates the constitutional principle of equality before the law and strips courts of a fundamental enforcement tool. This clause, according to the CLC, would require claimants to post a bond before courts can enforce contempt orders against government officials.
In an 11 June report, Energy Innovation estimated that phasing out key renewable-energy incentives, as the bill does, would suppress GDP by USD 1.1 trillion between 2025 and 2034. The legislation also imposes substantial welfare cuts, most notably to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will lose a combined USD 1.02 trillion.
Despite these concerns, the House approved the bill 218-214, and the Senate voted 51-50 in favour, with Vice President Vance casting the deciding vote. The bill's passage marks a significant step towards modernising the US aviation sector and could potentially revolutionise air travel in the coming years. However, the debate over its potential impact on the US judicial system continues.
[1] The Campaign Legal Center, "One Big Beautiful Bill: A Threat to Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law" (2025), available at: https://www.campaignlegal.org/content/one-big-beautiful-bill-threat-judicial-independence-and-rule-law
The investment in the US aviation sector, as outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, not only aims for improved safety and technology but also serves as a significant step towards modernizing the air traffic control (ATC) systems. However, the bill's provisions, particularly those concerning the US judicial system, have sparked controversy, with the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) expressing concerns about potential impacts on judicial independence and the rule of law. [politics, general-news]
