ALERT Act
Key claim: The House-passed ALERT Act would make military helicopters broadcast their location by default, require most military and civil aircraft to also receive nearby traffic data (ADS-B In) by 2031, and tighten FAA near-miss alerts and helicopter routes around Reagan National Airport.
Abstract
(HR7613 · 119th Congress) Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026 or the ALERT Act This bill addresses aviation safety by increasing requirements for aircraft tracking and communication using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and expanding oversight. As background, ADS-B for broadcasting (Out) and receiving (In) transmits information (e.g., location and weather) among aircraft and air traffic control (ATC). The bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to enter into an agreement regarding the use of collision prevention technologies on DOD aircraft. The agreement must require the use of ADS-B Out as the default practice for DOD helicopters operating in the national airspace, unless such use would affect operational security. For DOD helicopters that are carrying out special missions in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and are exempt from ADS-B Out transmission requirements, DOD must coordinate with DOT to conduct a safety risk assessment and implement appropriate mitigations. By December 31, 2031, DOD aircraft (other than certain special mission aircraft) must be equipped with and operating integrated ADS-B In technology. With respect to civil aircraft, by December 31, 2031, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must generally require aircraft that are currently required to be equipped with ADS-B Out to also be equipped with ADS-B In. Additionally, among other requirements, the FAA must establish time-on-position limits for supervisory ATC personnel; establish a process to timely notify parties involved in certain near-miss incidents; and evaluate and revise, as necessary, helicopter routes around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Latest action (2026-04-15): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Why this matters
The ALERT Act would close a long-standing gap where military helicopters and some civil aircraft operate without broadcasting or receiving cooperative surveillance data, a factor implicated in the January 2025 DCA midair collision. A 2031 ADS-B In mandate across most fleets would materially change cockpit traffic awareness and FAA conflict-alerting practice, especially in congested mixed-use airspace like the National Capital Region.