Congress and Defense Policy

Senators Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz filed bipartisan amendments to strip language in the National Defense Authorization Act that weakens helicopter ADS‑B requirements and replace it with their earlier aviation safety bill after the deadly D.C. crash, drawing sharp criticism from NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy and major transportation unions who say the NDAA language is a significant safety setback. The NDAA has been brought to the Senate floor with amendment votes scheduled (the House has already advanced the bill), and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said leaders could instead quickly pass a separate aviation bill requiring ADS‑B In for airlines and revoking DoD transmission exemptions to address the concerns.