House Blocks Aviation Safety Bill Following Pentagon’s Withdrawal of Support
The House of Representatives has narrowly turned down an aviation safety proposal that was inspired by last year’s fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C. This decision came shortly after the Pentagon unexpectedly retracted its endorsement of the bipartisan initiative.
Dubbed the ROTOR Act, the bill aimed to increase the implementation of ADS-B technology, a system that enhances aircraft location tracking. Additionally, it sought to impose restrictions on exemptions for military helicopters. The Senate had already given unanimous approval to the bill in December, and it garnered support from the families of crash victims, many of whom came to Capitol Hill to witness the vote.
However, the Pentagon raised concerns about the ROTOR Act. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell mentioned that implementing the bill could lead to “unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks,” though specifics were not disclosed.
For the bill to pass, it required a two-thirds majority under House rules. The final vote count was 264 in favor versus 133 opposed, with a significant number of Republicans dissenting.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has stated that the ADS-B system could have averted the tragic collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet, which resulted in 67 fatalities last year. The system would have provided pilots with crucial additional reaction time.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed her frustration on social media before the vote, stating, “The ROTOR Act would’ve saved lives. How many more people need to die before we act?” Despite her plea, the proposal faced significant opposition from influential Republican figures within the House.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, argued against the bill, citing national security concerns. “Requiring our fighters and bombers and highly classified assets to regularly broadcast their location puts our men and women in uniform at risk,” he stated.
Similarly, Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., chair of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, criticized the ROTOR Act, labeling it as an “unworkable government mandate” that would impose undue burdens on certain pilots.
Instead, Graves and Rogers are backing an alternative bipartisan bill, the ALERT Act, potentially setting the stage for a legislative showdown with Senate Republicans.
The House’s version of the bill lacks the backing of the NTSB, aviation trade unions, and the families affected by the crash. Following the vote, relatives of the victims vowed to continue advocating for the ROTOR Act’s passage. A statement from the Families of Flight 5342 expressed their determination, stating, “We call on House leadership to bring the ROTOR Act back for a vote that lets the majority pass it.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a co-author of the ROTOR Act and chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, remains resolute. “Only the ROTOR Act ensures that all airplanes and helicopters flying in U.S. airspace play by the same set of rules,” Cruz remarked following the vote. “Today’s result was just a temporary delay. We will succeed, and [the] ROTOR Act will become the law of the land. The families and the flying public deserve nothing less.”
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
