House to Vote on Aviation Safety Bill After Deadly Midair Collision

Key senators and victims' families say the bill needs more stringent reforms.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:51pm

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A photorealistic oil painting of the wing and cockpit window of a commercial airliner, with warm sunlight streaming in and casting deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and the fragility of air travel.The tragic 2025 midair collision near Washington exposed systemic aviation safety issues that this new legislation aims to address.Wichita Today

The House is set to vote on the Alert Act, an aviation safety bill aimed at addressing lessons learned from last year's deadly midair collision of a jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C. However, some senators and the families of the 67 victims believe the bill needs to be strengthened further to ensure the necessary safety reforms are implemented in a timely manner.

Why it matters

The midair collision, which resulted in the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since 2001, exposed systemic weaknesses in aviation safety protocols and long-ignored warnings about helicopter traffic dangers. The proposed legislation is intended to address these issues and prevent similar tragedies in the future.

The details

The Alert Act would require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In (ADS-B In) systems, which allow pilots to better track the locations of other aircraft. This technology was recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a way to prevent the collision, which occurred because the Army helicopter was not broadcasting its location. However, the victims' families want to ensure the bill includes strict timelines to guarantee the reforms will be completed, and they are concerned that the House version may still allow military flights to operate without broadcasting their locations during routine training missions.

  • The midair collision occurred on January 29, 2025.
  • The House is scheduled to vote on the Alert Act on Tuesday evening.

The players

Sam Graves

Republican U.S. Representative, co-sponsor of the Alert Act.

Rick Larsen

Democratic U.S. Representative, co-sponsor of the Alert Act.

Ted Cruz

Republican U.S. Senator, who has said the Alert Act needs further improvements.

Maria Cantwell

Democratic U.S. Senator, who has also said the Alert Act needs further improvements.

Jennifer Homendy

Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, who has criticized the original version of the bill as 'watered down'.

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What they’re saying

“'A warning to my colleagues in the House: the Alert Act would not deliver the safety measures necessary to prevent another midair collision, as it lacks the critical improvements our aviation system needs.'”

— Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator

What’s next

The House is scheduled to vote on the Alert Act on Tuesday evening. If it passes the House, the bill will move to the Senate, where Senators Cruz and Cantwell have indicated they believe further improvements are needed.

The takeaway

This legislation is a crucial step in addressing the systemic issues that led to the deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C. However, the victims' families and some key senators believe the bill needs to be strengthened to ensure the necessary safety reforms are implemented in a timely manner and without loopholes that could allow military flights to continue operating without proper safeguards.