Rep. Pfluger Welcomes Secretary Duffy to San Angelo Regional Airport, Highlights $18 Million Investment for West Texas Aviation

SAN ANGELO, TX — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) welcomed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy for a tour of the San Angelo Regional Airport (SJT) air traffic control tower and a firsthand look at the thriving aviation program taking shape at Angelo State University (ASU) that is producing skilled pilots and air traffic controllers. During the visit, Secretary Duffy announced that the airport will receive $18 million as part of the $12.5 billion federal investment to modernize air traffic control towers nationwide. This announcement reflects a longstanding priority for Congressman Pfluger, who has consistently advocated for modernizing aging air traffic control infrastructure at SJT. The funding will modernize the tower's critical infrastructure by replacing copper telecommunications lines with fiber optics and installing a new digital voice switch, next-generation radios, a new FAA radar, and modern digital information displays. Following the tower tour, Congressman Pfluger and Secretary Duffy participated in a roundtable discussion with representatives from ASU, Goodfellow Air Force Base, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, stakeholders, and local leaders to discuss further modernization of the existing tower to meet the increasing demands of daily airport traffic operations. "San Angelo has a long history of training the world’s best aviators, and I’m glad to welcome Transportation Secretary Duffy to our district to see this firsthand. The combination of abundant airspace, outstanding weather, and the best facilities in our region make this one of the most ideal places in the country to train pilots. To continue that legacy and keep pace with the demands of aviation, we must replace our aging air traffic control tower, and I commend Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration for recognizing this issue. I look forward to working alongside Secretary Duffy to get this done and ensure San Angelo remains the gold standard for pilot training in this country,” said Congressman Pfluger. “West Texas is fortunate to have a representative in Congress like Rep. Pfluger. His advocacy helped secure $18 million for air traffic control upgrades to SJT’s tower serving over 100,000 passengers annually. We’re also thrilled to welcome Angelo State University into our E-CTI program, which will help more Texans pursue their dreams and reverse years of air traffic controller shortages,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy.