The House approved the Alert Act on Tuesday by a vote of 396-10, clearing the two-thirds threshold required under a no-amendments rule and sending the aviation safety bill to a Senate where key members and victims' families say it still falls short.

The bill responds to the January 29, 2025 midair collision between an American Airlines jet flying from Wichita, Kansas, and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, which killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft — the deadliest crash on U.S. soil since 2001. The victims included 28 members of the figure skating community.

Reps. Sam Graves, a Missouri Republican, and Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat, sponsored the legislation. Two House committees advanced it unanimously last month. A separate Senate-crafted measure, the ROTOR Act, previously failed in the House by one vote.

The Alert Act requires aircraft operating around busy airports to carry Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In systems, which receive position data from other aircraft. Most aircraft already carry the complementary ADS-B Out systems that broadcast their locations. The bill also mandates installation of next-generation collision avoidance systems alongside ADS-B In, giving pilots audible traffic alerts rather than only a visual display.

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended such technology since 2008. Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said an ADS-B In installation, switched on, on both aircraft would have prevented the Potomac collision. The Army's policy at the time required its helicopters to fly with the system off to conceal their locations — even though the Black Hawk involved was on a routine training flight, not a sensitive mission. The NTSB says the revised bill now addresses its recommendation.

The Air Line Pilots Association has raised concerns that pairing the requirement with the uncertified collision avoidance system could delay ADS-B In installation, since the new avoidance system has not yet completed certification.

Families of the 67 victims want strict implementation timelines and tighter limits on military exemptions that allow flights without broadcasting their locations. "January 29, 2025 made clear what is at stake. The 67 lives lost that day should be honored with an improved system that prevents this from happening again," the main families group said in a statement Tuesday. "And the flying public should not have to wait longer than necessary for those protections to be in place."

Tim and Sheri Lilley, whose son was the copilot of the airliner, said any legislation must "reflect the risks in today's operating environment and ensures pilots have the information and technology they need to identify developing situations earlier."

Senators from both parties have signaled the bill needs strengthening before it can pass the upper chamber. "A warning to my colleagues in the House: the Alert Act would not deliver the safety measures necessary to prevent another midair collision, as it lacks the critical improvements our aviation system needs," Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, posted on X before the vote. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat, has also said the bill requires improvement.

Earlier this year, Homendy sharply criticized the original version as a "watered down" measure that would not do enough to prevent future tragedies. The NTSB's final report cited systemic weaknesses and years of ignored warnings, including a helicopter route in the approach path of a Reagan National runway that did not ensure adequate separation and was not regularly reviewed, alongside controllers relying too heavily on pilot see-and-avoid.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia Democrat whose district lost constituents in the crash, urged colleagues during debate to address all 50 NTSB recommendations from the final report. "It wasn't just one issue that led to this crash. It was a combination of systemic problems that made our national airspace unsafe," he said.

Lawmakers must now reconcile the House bill with Senate demands for stricter timelines and stronger oversight of military exemptions before the legislation can reach the President's desk.