119-HR-7613 Journalist Public Summary
119 · HR 7613 ALERT Act
A bipartisan House bill, the ALERT Act (H.R. 7613), would require most civil aircraft that already broadcast their position to also carry “see-and-avoid” receiver/alerting tech by December 31, 2031, tighten helicopter routing and separation near airports, upgrade airline and rotorcraft collision-avoidance standards, and direct safety and data‑sharing fixes at FAA and the Defense Department; on March 26, 2026, the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved its portion and reported the bill, with Armed Services also advancing its section the same day. (transportation.house.gov)
Headline Summary
A bipartisan aviation safety package responding to the 2025 DCA midair crash would phase in modern cockpit traffic‑alert tech across much of the fleet, make helicopter routes safer near airports, strengthen air traffic control training and alerts, and set new Defense Department practices for operating in civilian airspace. (transportation.house.gov)
What It Does
- Requires “covered” civil aircraft that already use ADS‑B Out (broadcasting their position) to add ADS‑B In–based collision‑prevention tech with audible alerts by December 31, 2031; allows portable or panel‑mounted solutions if they meet performance goals. - Directs airliners to adopt next‑generation ACAS Xa and advances ACAS Xr for helicopters; updates controller training, conflict‑alert tools, and risk‑assessment practices; creates a process and database to notify and analyze airborne loss‑of‑separation events; improves helicopter route design, charting, and vertical separation near airports (with particular attention to the DCA area). - For DoD flights, sets policies to better use identification/mitigation tech in the National Airspace System while protecting sensitive missions, and strengthens rotary‑wing safety management and training. - Bars use of ADS‑B data to levy fees without owner consent (a response to privacy/fee concerns). (transportation.house.gov)
Who’s For It
- Bipartisan House committee leaders (Chairs Graves and Rogers; Ranking Members Larsen and Smith) say the bill implements NTSB findings and offers a comprehensive fix after the DCA crash. (armedservices.house.gov)
- Industry groups and unions across airlines, business and general aviation (e.g., Airlines for America, Allied Pilots Association, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, NBAA, RAA, NetJets, Vertical Aviation International) publicly backed the bill’s performance‑based approach and near‑term safety upgrades. (transportation.house.gov)
- Aerospace Industries Association praised the push to modernize alerting and transparency following NTSB’s report. (aia-aerospace.org)
Who’s Against It
- NTSB leaders urged Congress to go further, saying the proposal (as introduced) did not fully implement several Board recommendations—especially a universal ADS‑B In mandate—after the DCA collision. (ntsb.gov)
- Some safety advocates favored the stricter ROTOR Act approach in the Senate; House drafters framed ALERT as an alternative that emphasizes flexible, performance‑based equipage. (eenews.net)
- General aviation privacy advocates (e.g., AOPA) warn ADS‑B data has been misused for fee collection; ALERT answers this by restricting certain ADS‑B uses while still requiring cockpit traffic awareness. (aopa.org)
What’s Next
As of March 27, 2026, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee approved its portion 62–0, and Armed Services advanced its section the same day; next up is potential House floor consideration, followed by the Senate. (transportation.house.gov)
Discussion