House Transportation committee approves Alert Act to implement all 50 NTSB recommendations; debate centers on ADS‑B privacy and airport fees

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted to report HR 7613, the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (Alert) Act, following a full‑day markup focused on implementing the National Transportation Safety Board's 50 safety recommendations after the Jan. 29 midair collision that killed 67 people.

Chairman Graves opened the markup by recounting the January collision and urging members to wait for the NTSB's findings before changing policy. "The collision claims 67 souls, all passengers and flight crews on both aircraft," he said, and described the substitute before the committee as a bipartisan effort to improve collision‑avoidance technology, controller training, route design and cross‑agency data sharing.

The committee adopted a manager's amendment that its sponsors described as incorporating member feedback and technical fixes developed with the NTSB and other stakeholders. The manager's amendment includes language to require collision‑prevention technologies and ADS‑B IN in appropriate aircraft, enhanced ATC training and procedures, modernization of ATC facilities, and the permanent closure of a…