Some Missouri lawmakers want updates to airport technology and infrastructure following nationwide ground stop

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri lawmakers are publicly reacting after a nationwide ground stop at airports across the U.S. on Friday, and asking for upgrades to technology and infrastructure at airports.

Flights in the United States were grounded in the afternoon “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Columbia Regional Airport shared on its social media at 7:50 p.m. Friday that flights are expected to resume soon after the grounding order was lifted. The next flight out of COU is scheduled for 6:15 a.m. Saturday.

Fred Wellman (D), a U.S. representative-elect from District 2, shared his thoughts on the grounding via social media.

In the post, Wellman, a former Army aviator, said he knows that aviation safety relies on rigorous standards.

"A nationwide ground stop is a serious warning sign. The American people deserve answers about what went wrong, why it happened, and what needs to change to prevent it from happening again," Wellman said in the post.

He added that critical infrastructure should not be an afterthought, adding that Congress has a responsibility to demand accountability and make sure the U.S. aviation system is safe.

Another Missouri lawmaker, Eric Schmitt (R), a junior U.S. Senator, said on Fox News and on social media that America should not accept second-rate technology and infrastructure.

Schmitt said that he has known that U.S. air traffic control technology is in need of an upgrade.

He introduced the Modern Skies Act in September, which is a proposed $30 billion legislative package that would update and expand the U.S. aviation and air traffic control system.

In his post, Schmitt said the U.S. "must pass our Modern Skies Act to give the FAA the funds they need to bring our ATC tech and airport infrastructure into the 21st century."