Aviation Regulation and Safety

The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the ALERT Act, a bipartisan aviation-safety bill passed 396–10 under suspension of the rules, aiming to address safety failures highlighted by last year’s deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C. The measure would require aircraft operating in busy or controlled airspace to carry ADS‑B In collision‑avoidance equipment in addition to the already widespread ADS‑B Out, overhaul helicopter routing and separation near major airports, and tighten FAA procedures and training; it includes carve‑outs for fighters, bombers, drones and certain special‑mission aircraft and sets a 2031 compliance deadline for military aircraft. Sponsors including Reps. Sam Graves and Rick Larsen say they revised the bill after federal safety officials criticized an earlier draft and worked with the NTSB so the amended bill would compel DOT, DOD and the FAA to take steps addressing the NTSB’s recommendations tied to the crash.