Press Releases

Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted in favor of the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act, comprehensive bipartisan aviation safety legislation following the tragic mid-air collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger aircraft in January 2025. The bill was approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously and passed on the House floor overwhelmingly, by a vote of 396-10. 

“I’m grateful for the comprehensive and collaborative work of Chairman Graves and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the ALERT Act, in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),” Rep. Estes said. “The NTSB’s investigation of the accident uncovered systemic failures in our aviation system, and the ALERT Act addresses the issues raised by the NTSB in a detailed, bipartisan manner for civil and military aviation. 

This collision involved an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight that originated from my hometown of Wichita. This tragedy has left our community shocked, and I am heartbroken that several Kansans were among the victims. No family should ever have to endure such heartbreak.

It is imperative that we in Congress work to ensure tragedies like this never happen again, and there is always more that can and should be done to enhance aviation safety. The ALERT Act takes critical steps to do just that. I look forward to continuing this important work with my colleagues in the House and Senate on a final legislative product to ensure that our skies remain safest in the world.”