Overview
- House lawmakers approved the ALERT Act in a 396–10 vote Tuesday, advancing a broad response to the January 2025 midair collision near Reagan National that killed 67 people.
- The bill sets a December 31, 2031 target for most aircraft that already broadcast their own position with ADS-B Out to also carry ADS-B In, which lets pilots see nearby aircraft, plus a new collision‑prevention system.
- NTSB leaders who once called the House draft watered down now say the revised measure would address all 50 recommendations from their investigation, including technology, procedures, and oversight fixes.
- Key senators and victims’ families say the bill still falls short, citing slow timelines, wider military exemptions, and reliance on collision tech that is not yet market ready, while pointing to the stricter Senate ROTOR Act that later failed in the House after a Pentagon reversal.
- The package also orders helicopter route redesign near busy airports, updates air traffic control training and procedures, creates a public rulemaking dashboard, expands DoD–FAA data sharing, and adds privacy rules to keep ADS-B data focused on safety rather than fee collection.