The U.S. House of Representatives passed the ALERT Act on Tuesday, a bipartisan aviation safety bill responding to the January 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed all 67 people aboard an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The legislation requires aircraft operating in busy or controlled airspace to install collision-prevention technology, including ADS-B In, which broadcasts and receives real-time location data from nearby planes and helicopters.
The bill, approved 396 to 10, also mandates military aircraft to adopt collision-prevention technologies by 2031, with exceptions for fighters, bombers, drones, and other special mission aircraft. The legislation overhauls helicopter routes near major airports and updates air traffic control procedures and training. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified helicopter route safety and separation requirements as the probable cause of the 2025 collision.
The ALERT Act was fast-tracked by House GOP leaders and required two-thirds support for passage. An earlier Senate version, the ROTOR Act, failed by one vote in February after the Pentagon withdrew its support, citing budgetary and national security concerns. The House bill was revised after federal safety officials criticized an earlier version, and it now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), co-sponsors of the bill, emphasized its bipartisan nature and alignment with the NTSB's 50 safety recommendations. The legislation aims to prevent future collisions by enhancing real-time tracking and communication between aircraft.