The Biden administration is seeking additional funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, funds that aim to boost hiring of air traffic controllers and facilitate other improvements to manage increasingly congested airspace. The White House on Thursday proposed $16.5 billion for the agency, up from the $15.2 billion the FAA received in fiscal 2023. Airlines and the Transportation Department have sparred over causes of flight disruptions, with some company executives blaming a shortfall of air traffic controllers. Last year, the FAA managed airspace for a record 92 space missions – a total that includes rocket launches and spacecraft reentries, which it expects to top in 2023. Many of those missions launched from Florida, a state which has seen more and more commercial air traffic as well.

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