US EditionNTSB chair slams House aviation bill as ‘watered-down’ after 67 deaths near Washington
NTSB and victims' families say the House bill omits key safety measures including mandatory ADS-B In, exempting some aircraft and limiting military requirements, weakening collision prevention.
- On February 26, 2026, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the House bill is `watered-down` and would not implement the agency's recommendations after the Jan. 29, 2025 Potomac River midair collision that killed 67 people.
- The House bill asks the FAA to draft a rule for the 'best locator technology' instead of mandating ADS‑B In, exempting business jets and small planes, which the NTSB opposes.
- The full NTSB followed up Thursday with a formal letter and side-by-side comparison opposing the bill, while victims' families criticized the U.S. House vote 264–133 and procedural defeats after Senate passage of the ROTOR Act.
- Reps. Sam Graves and Rick Larsen defended the ALERT Act as addressing the NTSB's 50 recommendations and said the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will likely markup the bill within the next few weeks.
- An expert estimated ADS‑B In would have given pilots substantially more reaction time, but the Army's policy and Pentagon cited budget and security risks affecting 5,500 planes.
104 Articles
104 Articles
The Billings Gazette
Winston-Salem JournalNTSB chair slams House aviation bill as 'watered-down'
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it's misleading for members of the House to say their package of aviation safety reforms would address the recommendations that her agency made in January to prevent another midair collision…
Safety advocates say GOP effort won't mandate needed cockpit alarm
The NTSB says an anti-collision system called ADS-B In could have prevented the DC air crash.Heather Diehl/Getty ImagesA bill that would have implemented NTSB safety recommendations failed in the House.Opponents cited cost and security concerns with broadcasting aircraft positions to avoid collision.The bill's advocates say a Republican counter-proposal lacks the monitoring system pilots need.Lawmakers appear to be at an impasse after the failur…
Washington Top News
NTSB chair slams House aviation bill as ‘watered-down’ after 67 deaths near Washington
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing at Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)(AP/Jose Luis Magana) National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing at Capitol Hill, Thursda…
Associated Press News
NTSB chair slams House aviation bill as 'watered-down' after 67 deaths near Washington
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it’s misleading for members of the House to say their package of aviation safety reforms would address the recommendations that her agency made in January to prevent another midair collision like the one last year near Washington, D.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 81% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
