Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the Pentagon’s late opposition to legislation aimed at expanding cockpit traffic awareness technology through expanded ADS-B requirements caught lawmakers off guard leading up to the bill’s defeat in the House of Representatives. The measure, known as the Rotor Act, had previously passed the Senate unanimously and was intended to address collision risks highlighted by last year’s midair accident involving a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., which killed 67 people.
Cruz Responds After House Vote
In an interview with the Houston Chronicle published Monday, Cruz said the Department of Defense issued its objections with little time for review before the House vote.
“The Pentagon blindsided us,” Cruz said, adding that the department’s statement included “significant misinformation” and “multiple factual inaccuracies.”
He told the Chronicle that lawmakers are continuing discussions with defense officials in an effort to address those concerns.
The Pentagon released a statement prior to the vote stating the legislation created “significant unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks affecting national defense activities.”
A Pentagon spokesperson referred to that earlier statement when asked by the Chronicle for a response to Cruz’s remarks and said the bill did not include several “mutually discussed updates.”
Continued Push For Mandate
Cruz said he plans to continue pursuing legislation requiring aircraft operating in certain airspace to install equipment capable of receiving ADS-B traffic data from nearby aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended broader adoption of that capability for years.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said earlier this year that the agency had repeatedly issued the recommendation without it being adopted. Those recommendations “have been rejected, sidelined or just plain ignored,” Homendy said at the time.
Families And Industry Reaction
Cruz met with relatives of those killed in the Potomac River accident after the House vote. Doug Lane, who lost his wife and teenage son in the crash, said Cruz told families he planned to continue working on the issue.
“He just kind of gave us assurances he was going to keep fighting and he said to keep the faith and keep fighting and don’t let this discourage us,” Lane told the Chronicle.
Cruz said he remains in discussions with House Republicans, the White House and the Pentagon about potential next steps for the legislation.
“We’re not there yet, but we’re going to get it done,” Cruz said after a hearing at the U.S. Capitol last week.
The only excuse for a military aircraft not having active ADS B out, is if that aircraft is operating in an actual war zone.
The military is far too arrogant about responsibility.
Personally, I experienced loss of GPS while heading up the US East Coast in a heavy jet. Others in the area had the same experience. Turns out that personnel on an Army base were playing with their toys; no notice, no concern for safety.
Brianhope has it correct. the IDIOCY of operating nightvison goggles which limit peripheral vision at night in crowded DC airspace with NO JUSTIFICATION is proof of the arrogance.
No pilot I know likes ADS-B because the FAA has used it as a political tool. And the military thinking is similar. Except Senator Cruz needs to find the guts to tell the military they must fly in their military operation areas (MOAs) only. And stay out of commercial airspace; especially any military training flights. Why the MOAs were created; special out of the way airspace for the military to train! This topic has been a distraction now for over a year. It is more than time for everyone to wake up! ADS-B is dead on arrival. And GPS should be turned over to the Coast Guard so it is not the political tool the military has turned it into!!! And bring back LORAN C, please! Tell the ADS-B manufacturer’s where and what they can do with their ADS-B, please!!! Letting self interested jack ass manufacturers tell congressman the way things should be is an invitation to disaster; as we have now seen!!! Congress is looking like a bunch of dead fish; beyond sad!! Bowing to where ever the money is coming from, not only sad, but very ugly. It is probably time for the multi millionaires and billionaires to start slapping the avionics manufacturers around in a big way; to save their lives and the lives of pilots. Irritating me the way they have strongly suggests all pilots need to help put a stop to this manufacturer insanity of what appears to be buying what ever they want from the US Congress. In short, just stop listening to self interested avionics manufacturers or chaos will be the rule of the day.
Cruze is not my favorite person, but I agree with him to the point I’m fearful of flying today due to all these self righteous people that screamed for ADS-B but don’t want to use it themselves. Hogwash
I can just about guess who killed this. There were two pilots in that Blackhawk that night, as well as in the American Regional Commuter. They saw it, not sure if the Army pilots did.