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. 114. Working group to evaluate shared frequency around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 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

… 4 unchanged passages …

(3) not fewer than 3 separate organizations representing the certified collective bargaining representatives of pilots operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; (4) an air organization medical representing helicopter aviation operators and pilots services ; (5) an organization representing business helicopter aviation operators and pilots; (6) an organization representing air business carriers aviation operating operators under and part 121 of title 14, United States Code pilots ; (7) an organization representing air carriers operating under part 121 of title 14, United States Code , with a low-cost or ultra-low-cost business model ;

… 3 unchanged passages …

(11) the Coast Guard, provided the representative has expertise on Coast Guard flight operations in the area described in subsection (a); (12) the National Transportation Safety Board; and ( 12 13 ) other organizations or agencies as determined necessary by the Administrator. (c) Voting Local operator preference . The members described in paragraphs ( 9 3 ), ( 10 4 ), ( 5), (6), and (7) of subsection (b) shall be, or represent, individuals who operate in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area, as defined in subpart V of part 93 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. (d) Government representatives. The members described in paragraphs ( 11), (12), (13), (14), and, in the case of a representative chosen by the Administrator that is from a governmental agency, ( 12 15 ) of subsection (b )— (1 ) may not be political appointees; and (2) shall be nonvoting members of the Working Group. ( d e ) Duration.

… 4 unchanged passages …

( e f ) Considerations. In conducting the comprehensive evaluation under subsection (a), the Working Group shall, at minimum, consider— (1) the benefits or detriments to pilot and air traffic controller situational situation awareness; (2) to the greatest extent possible, the human factors that would impact pilot and air traffic controller situational situation awareness; (3) to the greatest extent possible, the human factors that would impact pilot and air traffic controller controllers focus during critical phases of flight;

… 4 unchanged passages …

(8) the potential for overlapping, conflicting, and simultaneous communication transmissions, prior to and after any improvements made as a result of the assessment conducted pursuant to section 112 115 ; (9) the potential for misdirected , communications missed, or stepped on crowded communications frequencies if requiring all aircraft to use the same communication frequency ; (10) National Transportation Safety Board recommendations pertaining to miscommunications on crowded frequencies , including relevant recommendations included in the National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Investigation Report AIR–26–02 adopted on January 27, 2026 ; and

… 1 unchanged passage …

( f g ) Report. Not later than 6 months after the conclusion of the Working Group, the Working Group shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings and recommendations resulting from the activities carried out under this section. ( g h ) Implementation. Not later than 6 months after receiving recommendations outlined in the report under subsection ( f g ), the Administrator shall operationally validate such recommendations and may take such action, as appropriate, to implement such recommendations.

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 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene a working group (in this section referred to as the Working Group) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the safety benefits and risks of requiring all aircraft to use the same communications frequency during any period in which helicopter and local air traffic control positions are combined in the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport air traffic control tower.

(b) Members. The Working Group convened under subsection (a) shall be comprised of representatives of—

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

(2) the organization representing air traffic control operational supervisors and managers;

(3) not fewer than 3 separate organizations representing the certified collective bargaining representatives of pilots operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;

(4) air medical services;

(5) an organization representing helicopter aviation operators and pilots;

(6) an organization representing business aviation operators and pilots;

(7) air carriers operating under part 121 of title 14, United States Code;

(8) an individual that has expertise in an operational or academic discipline that is relevant to the analysis of human factors in aviation, which may include air carrier operations, line pilot expertise, air traffic control, linguistics, human-machine integration, general aviation operations, and organizational behavior and culture;

(9) the FAA, provided the representative has expertise on flight operations in the area described in subsection (a);

(10) the Department of Defense, provided the representative has expertise on Department of Defense flight operations in the area described in subsection (a);

(11) the Coast Guard, provided the representative has expertise on Coast Guard flight operations in the area described in subsection (a);

(12) the National Transportation Safety Board; and

(13) other organizations or agencies as determined necessary by the Administrator.

(c) Local operator preference. The members described in paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) of subsection (b) shall be, or represent, individuals who operate in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area, as defined in subpart V of part 93 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

(d) Government representatives. The members described in paragraphs (11), (12), (13), (14), and, in the case of a representative chosen by the Administrator that is from a governmental agency, (15) of subsection (b)—

(1) may not be political appointees; and

(2) shall be nonvoting members of the Working Group.

(e) Duration

(1) In general. Members of the Working Group shall be appointed for the duration of the Working Group.

(2) Length of existence

(A) In general. The Working Group shall have an initial duration of 1 year.

(B) Optional extension. The Administrator may extend the duration of the Working Group for an additional period of up to 1 year.

(f) Considerations. In conducting the comprehensive evaluation under subsection (a), the Working Group shall, at minimum, consider—

(1) the benefits or detriments to pilot and air traffic controller situation awareness;

(2) to the greatest extent possible, the human factors that would impact pilot and air traffic controller situation awareness;

(3) to the greatest extent possible, the human factors that would impact pilot and air traffic controllers during critical phases of flight;

(4) existing products by other working groups related to human factors in aviation safety;

(5) pilot training requirements;

(6) air traffic controller training requirements;

(7) if any, technological limitations or challenges that would impede aircraft from using the same communications frequency;

(8) the potential for overlapping, conflicting, and simultaneous communication transmissions, prior to and after any improvements made as a result of the assessment conducted pursuant to section 115;

(9) the potential for misdirected, missed, or stepped on communications if requiring all aircraft to use the same communication frequency;

(10) National Transportation Safety Board recommendations pertaining to miscommunications on crowded frequencies, including relevant recommendations included in the National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Investigation Report AIR–26–02 adopted on January 27, 2026; and

(11) solicited feedback from air carriers operating under part 121 and part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and general aviation operators under part 91 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

(g) Report. Not later than 6 months after the conclusion of the Working Group, the Working Group shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings and recommendations resulting from the activities carried out under this section.

(h) Implementation. Not later than 6 months after receiving recommendations outlined in the report under subsection (g), the Administrator shall operationally validate such recommendations and may take such action, as appropriate, to implement such recommendations.

II Department of Defense Matters