H.R. 7613

ALERT Act

Sponsor: Sam Graves

87 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

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.

Text of the bill

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I Civil Aviation Matters

Sec. 110. Safety risk assessment tool Changed · Apr 9

Where this section came from

  1. Feb 20, 2026 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Feb 20 Referred to House Committee on Armed Services, Feb 20
  2. Apr 9, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mar 26 Marked up by House Committee on Armed Services, Mar 26 Reported by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Apr 9 Reported by House Committee on Armed Services, Apr 9 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
What changed in the text

(a) In general. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to develop a safety risk assessment tool for use by air traffic controllers , including by supervisory air traffic control personnel, to assist in airspace risk identification, mitigation, and operational decision making. (b) Considerations. In carrying out subsection (a), the federally Administrator funded research and development center shall consider, at a minimum— (1) the development of a safety risk assessment tool capable of supporting the air traffic controllers in—

… 5 unchanged passages …

(A) National Transportation Safety Board , including as contained in the final aviation investigation report, AIR–26–02, adopted on January 27, 2026 ; (B) National Airspace System Safety Review Team as contained in the final report titled Discussion and Recommendations to Address Risk in the National Airspace System, issued on November 15, 2023 ; and

… 4 unchanged passages …

(7) best practices or similar relevant risk assessment tools and methods used by foreign civil aviation authorities; (8) the feasibility of leveraging commercially available products or technologies that may be utilized to develop such tool; (9) benefits of incorporating such tool into a Common Automation Platform; and ( 8 10 ) any other factors determined relevant by the federally funded research and development center Administrator . (c) Consultation Coordination . To In develop developing the safety risk assessment tool required under subsection (a), the federally Administrator funded research and development center shall consult coordinate with— (1) organizations representing operations air traffic control supervisors and managers ;

… 2 unchanged passages …

(4) aviation safety experts with specific knowledge of human factors ; and human decision making in realistic operational settings; (5) organizations representing operators of Federal contract towers pursuant to section 47124 of title 49, United States Code; and (6) any other stakeholders determined relevant by the federally funded research and development center Administrator . (d) Briefing to Congress. Not later than 1 18 year months after entering into the agreement date pursuant of to enactment subsection of (a), this Act, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on — (1) the development of the safety risk assessment tool required under this section and recommendations for implementation ; (2) the progress of implementation described in subsection (e); and (3) any recommendations to improve the deployment of the safety risk assessment tool . (e) Implementation. The Administrator shall deploy the safety risk assessment tool developed under this section at— (1) the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport air traffic control tower, not later than 1 year after the development of the safety risk assessment tool; (2) air traffic control facilities with high volumes of mixed rotorcraft and airplane traffic not later than 18 months after the development of the safety risk assessment tool; and (3) any remaining air traffic control facilities not later than 2 years after the development of the safety risk assessment tool. (f) Threat and error management defined. In this section, the term threat and error management has the meaning described in chapter 6 of the Risk Management Handbook (FAA H–8083–2A) or any successor document.

What is a markup?

A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.

(a) In general. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall develop a safety risk assessment tool for use by air traffic controllers, including by supervisory air traffic control personnel, to assist in airspace risk identification, mitigation, and operational decision making.

(b) Considerations. In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider, at a minimum—

(1) the development of a safety risk assessment tool capable of supporting air traffic controllers in—

(A) identifying safety risks;

(B) analyzing the impact of and prioritizing such risks; and

(C) developing strategies to reduce or eliminate such risks in real time;

(2) data, reports, studies, and best practices on threat and error management;

(3) findings and recommendations of the—

(A) National Transportation Safety Board, including as contained in the final aviation investigation report, AIR–26–02, adopted on January 27, 2026;

(B) National Airspace System Safety Review Team as contained in the final report titled Discussion and Recommendations to Address Risk in the National Airspace System, issued on November 15, 2023; and

(C) frontline manager workload study authorized under section 412 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118–63);

(4) air traffic facility type and staffing level;

(5) risk assessment guidance, policies, and regulations of the Administration in place prior to the date of enactment of this Act;

(6) data gathered from aviation safety reporting programs;

(7) best practices or similar relevant risk assessment tools and methods used by foreign civil aviation authorities;

(8) the feasibility of leveraging commercially available products or technologies that may be utilized to develop such tool;

(9) benefits of incorporating such tool into a Common Automation Platform; and

(10) any other factors determined relevant by the Administrator.

(c) Coordination. In developing the safety risk assessment tool under subsection (a), the Administrator shall coordinate with—

(1) organizations representing air traffic control supervisors and managers;

(2) the exclusive bargaining representative of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code;

(3) aviation safety experts with specific knowledge of threat and error management;

(4) aviation safety experts with specific knowledge of human factors and human decision making in realistic operational settings;

(5) organizations representing operators of Federal contract towers pursuant to section 47124 of title 49, United States Code; and

(6) any other stakeholders determined relevant by the Administrator.

(d) Briefing to Congress. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on—

(1) the development of the safety risk assessment tool required under this section and recommendations for implementation;

(2) the progress of implementation described in subsection (e); and

(3) any recommendations to improve the deployment of the safety risk assessment tool.

(e) Implementation. The Administrator shall deploy the safety risk assessment tool developed under this section at—

(1) the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport air traffic control tower, not later than 1 year after the development of the safety risk assessment tool;

(2) air traffic control facilities with high volumes of mixed rotorcraft and airplane traffic not later than 18 months after the development of the safety risk assessment tool; and

(3) any remaining air traffic control facilities not later than 2 years after the development of the safety risk assessment tool.

(f) Threat and error management defined. In this section, the term threat and error management has the meaning described in chapter 6 of the Risk Management Handbook (FAA H–8083–2A) or any successor document.

II Department of Defense Matters