NTSB Says ALERT Act Falls Short of Safety Goals

Agency officials cite lack of ADS-B requirement.

Zach Vasile

Friday, February 27, 2026 at 04:15 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Black Hawk helicopter over Washington [Credit: U.S. Air Force/Nicholas A. Priest]

Key Takeaways:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) leadership has declared its opposition to the ALERT Act, a Republican-backed aviation safety bill in the House, stating it does not fully implement the agency's critical safety recommendations.
The NTSB specifically criticizes the ALERT Act for not mandating ADS-B In technology on all aircraft operating in required airspaces and for including exemptions to what it deems "lifesaving technology."
Both the ALERT Act and the recently failed ROTOR Act were drafted in response to a fatal midair collision, with NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy publicly advocating for the stronger, more comprehensive safety mandates found in the ROTOR Act.

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The leadership of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday that it cannot support the ALERT Act, an aviation safety bill advanced by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In a letter addressed to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves and Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers—both major backers of the ALERT Act—NTSB officials said the bill incorporates some but not all of the safety recommendations included in the agency’s investigation of the fatal midair collision in Washington, D.C., one year ago.