🇺🇸HUGE: 25 lawmakers asked the FAA to pause its new AI traffic tool 5 weeks before the nationwide shutdown. "We ask that you pause any use of the SMART tool until we can better understand your decision-making," they wrote to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on October 9. SMART was built by Air Space Intelligence under an $875 MILLION, 12-year contract awarded in June. The letter carried 18 questions and a deadline of October 19. Questions 13 to 18 asked who would bear responsibility if a SMART recommendation contributed to a safety incident. On November 10, the FAA said SMART would be used at all 22 air traffic control centers. Three days later, every departure in America stopped. By Friday evening, roughly 10,500 flights were delayed and more than 1,800 cancelled, per FlightAware. The FAA's statement says the ground stop followed "communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers." It gives no cause, calls the information "preliminary and subject to change," and promises updates. Asked whether SMART played a part, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said "We're looking at that," and "You can't rule out anything at this point." Air Space Intelligence said the ground stop was "not based on or a result of the SMART system." The same day, the Transportation Department asked Congress for another $30.1 BILLION for air traffic control. The FAA's November 10 announcement did not address the lawmakers' questions.