House backs aviation-safety bill, teeing up high-stakes Senate showdown

The House approved the ALERT Act 396-10 in a fast-track move to address the 2025 Potomac midair crash, setting up a clash with the Senate-passed ROTOR Act over safety tech mandates. The bill pushes next-generation collision-avoidance tech on airlines by end-2031 (with a possible two-year extension) and on some civil helicopters, with exemptions for amateur-built aircraft and certain operations. Cruz and Cantwell argue the House measure is weaker than ROTOR, while supporters cite ongoing safety improvements and NTSB-backed amendments, forecasting a heated cross-chamber fight as lawmakers seek a final response to the crash.