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. 124. Safety culture and safety management review Added Apr 9

Where this section came from

Not in the first version (Introduced in House, Feb 20).

  1. 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 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 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the inspector general of the Department of Transportation shall initiate an audit of the safety culture and the safety management system of the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization.

(b) Considerations. In conducting the audit under subsection (a), the inspector general shall, at a minimum, evaluate—

(1) the safety management system of the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization, including the functions and data sharing activities of such system at all air traffic control facilities;

(2) whether such system effectively coordinates safety assurance and safety risk management activities with external stakeholders consistent with FAA requirements for operators under section 5.57 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;

(3) which data analysis, safety assurance, and risk assessment processes failed to identify and mitigate the risk of potential midair collisions near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport before January 29, 2025;

(4) the failure of the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization to recognize external compliance verification results as indicators of systemic traffic management, volume, and flow issues at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for which air traffic controllers were required to compensate to mitigate such issues;

(5) the failure of the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization to conduct annual reviews of helicopter route charts as required by FAA Order JO 7210.3EE, titled Facility Operation and Administration;

(6) the failure of the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization to understand and implement post-accident and post-incident drug and alcohol testing as required by Department of Transportation Order 3910.1D, titled Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace Program;

(7) whether there are fears of retaliation against persons identifying or reporting risks in accordance with the safety management system; and

(8) how the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization have addressed the findings and utilized the Safety Risk Management process in accordance with FAA Order 8040.4C, titled Safety Risk Management Policy (or any successor document) in the National Airspace System Helicopter Operations Helicopter Route Analysis of the FAA issued in April 2025.

(c) Report of the inspector general

(1) In general. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the inspector general shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the audit conducted under subsection (a).

(2) Recommendations. The inspector general shall include in the report submitted under paragraph (1)—

(A) recommendations for actions the Secretary should take with respect to the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization to—

(i) strengthen and adhere to the tenets of the safety management system;

(ii) increase transparency in the safety management system process, including by adopting policies that provide assurances to FAA employees that the Air Traffic Organization is addressing any identified safety issues;

(iii) increase data sharing and collaboration with external stakeholders;

(iv) protect against retaliation;

(v) encourage open, nonpunitive communication; and

(vi) foster a just culture across the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Management Organization;

(B) recommendations for actions the Secretary may take to ensure adequate oversight over the safety management system of the Air Traffic Organization; and

(C) any other recommendations the inspector general determines appropriate.

(d) Response to recommendations. Not later than 120 days after submission of the report required under subsection (c)—

(1) the Secretary shall respond to any recommendations in such report that are directed at the Department of Transportation or FAA, respectively; and

(2) the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing how the Secretary intends to implement such recommendations.

II Department of Defense Matters