Senate Prepares Vote on Aviation Safety Bill Post-Crash

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee is gearing up for a crucial vote on aviation safety legislation slated for October 21. This action follows a tragic crash in January near Reagan Washington National Airport, which resulted in 67 fatalities when an American Airlines regional jet collided with an Army helicopter.

The proposed legislation, spearheaded by Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz and co-sponsored by several other senators, aims to enforce the use of ADS-B, an advanced aircraft-tracking technology. This technology would be mandatory for military helicopters operating near civilian planes and for all civilian aircraft.

Notably, the Army helicopter involved in the January accident was not equipped with ADS-B. In pursuit of bipartisan support for the legislation, Cruz is collaborating with Senator Maria Cantwell. Aides from both senators' offices have confirmed these efforts ahead of the upcoming committee hearing.