NTSB chair urges Congress to pass aviation safety legislation

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy urged Congress on Monday to break a months-long deadlock on aviation safety legislation, arguing reforms are needed to reduce the risk of another catastrophic midair collision. Homendy said the NTSB has already provided a “clear roadmap,” but lawmakers must act. The dispute pits a House-passed bill against the Senate’s ROTOR Act, which passed unanimously in December yet fell one vote short in the House under fast-track rules. The NTSB links the need to a January 2025 American Airlines regional jet and U.S. Army helicopter collision that killed 67, finding FAA systemic failures. The House proposal would require collision-prevention tech on military aircraft by 2031 and mandate civilian equipping standards. The FAA says it can advance ADS-B technically but wants direction.