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ALERT Act moves forward as DCA crash families demand stronger measures

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Published  March 26, 2026 3:49pm EDT
DC Plane Crash Investigation
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • The House is advancing the ALERT Act to improve aviation safety following the deadly Reagan National midair collision that killed 67 people.
    • The bill has gained support from the NTSB after amendments, but aviation groups say it still lacks key requirements like ADS-B In technology.
    • Victims’ families say the legislation does not go far enough and plan to push for stronger safety measures before a full House vote.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House is moving forward Thursday with a bill aimed at improving aviation safety after the deadly midair collision at Reagan National airport in January 2025.

But families of those killed in the midair collision near Reagan National Airport say the legislation does not go far enough.

What we know:

The measure is called the ALERT Act, and it has advanced through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The bill would require the FAA to implement several aviation safety measures, many connected to the midair collision in D.C. last January that killed 67 people.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which initially said the bill did not go far enough, now supports it after amendments were added.

However, the Air Line Pilots Association and other aviation groups say the bill does not include a requirement for ADS-B In technology, which they say could have helped prevent the crash between a regional passenger jet and a military helicopter.

A separate proposal known as the Rotor Act, which had support from families and the NTSB, did not pass in a previous vote.

What they're saying:

Families of Flight 5342 say the bill still leaves gaps in aviation safety.

"It’s not to say the ALERT Act couldn’t get to a place where we’d support it, but right now it needs more tightening up to be a suitable response to the collision that took our loved ones from us," said Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the DCA crash. 

Families of Flight 5342 say they plan to continue working with lawmakers to address what they believe is missing from the legislation before it goes to a full House vote.

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