House to Vote on Aviation Safety Bill After Deadly Midair Collision

Legislation aims to address issues that led to crash near Washington, D.C.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:18pm

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A photorealistic painting of an airplane wing in warm, golden sunlight, with the distant outline of a helicopter visible in the background, creating a sense of unease and the need for improved safety measures.As Congress debates new aviation safety measures, the haunting specter of a deadly midair collision near the nation's capital looms over the debate.Wichita Today

The House is set to vote on the Alert Act, an aviation safety bill that seeks to address lessons learned from last year's deadly midair collision of a jet and an Army helicopter near the nation's capital. The bill has the backing of industry groups, but some senators and victims' families believe it needs to be strengthened further.

Why it matters

The midair collision near Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people highlighted systemic issues in aviation safety, including the lack of required technology to help pilots better detect nearby aircraft. The proposed legislation aims to address these problems and prevent future tragedies.

The details

The Alert Act would require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have key locator systems that let pilots know more precisely where other aircraft are. The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended such technology since 2008, saying it could have prevented the collision between the American Airlines jet and Army Black Hawk helicopter that plunged into the Potomac River. However, some victims' families want to ensure the bill has strict timelines to guarantee the reforms will be completed.

  • The House is scheduled to vote on the bill on Tuesday evening.
  • The midair collision occurred on January 29, 2025.
  • The NTSB has recommended the new technology systems since 2008.

The players

Sam Graves

Republican sponsor of the Alert Act.

Rick Larens

Democratic sponsor of the Alert Act.

Ted Cruz

Senator who has said the Alert Act needs further improvements.

Maria Cantwell

Senator who has said the Alert Act needs further improvements.

Jennifer Homendy

Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

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What they’re saying

“The legislation, since amended, now addresses its recommendation to require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have key locator systems that let pilots know more precisely where other aircraft are flying around them.”

— Jennifer Homendy, Chairwoman, National Transportation Safety Board

“If both the plane and the Black Hawk had been equipped with ADS-B In and the systems had been turned on, the collision would have been prevented.”

— Jennifer Homendy, Chairwoman, National Transportation Safety Board

What’s next

The House bill needs to secure two-thirds support to advance to the Senate, where separate legislation called the ROTOR Act came up one vote short in the House. Senators Cruz and Cantwell have said the Alert Act still needs to be improved.

The takeaway

This vote highlights the ongoing challenges in aviation safety and the need for comprehensive solutions to prevent future midair collisions and tragedies. The proposed legislation aims to address systemic issues, but must balance industry concerns with the demands of victims' families for stronger safeguards.