The Senate Commerce Committee is considering issuing a subpoena to the U.S. Army after it has refused to turn over a report detailing its use of its Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology.
Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., condemned the Army’s refusal to comply with the Senate’s request, which seeks to clarify military policies on ADS-B usage in restricted airspace.
In a joint statement the lawmakers wrote, “It is completely unacceptable that our request has been repeatedly ignored and that the Army continues to obstruct the Committee’s investigation into this horrific accident. We will consider using every option at our disposal to produce compliance and to ensure our investigation yields the answers the victims’ families and the American people deserve.”
The escalating tension follows last week’s Senate hearing on the Jan. 29 midair collision near Reagan National Airport, which claimed 67 lives. During the hearing, Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman testified that the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the crash had its ADS-B turned off at the time.
However, that action was authorized by the FAA, which has granted the military broad flexibility to disable ADS-B technology when necessary to protect mission security.
