U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with Ranking Member Jack Reed, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, and Ranking Member Adam Smith, released a joint statement addressing aviation safety following a recent accident.
The statement reads: “We all care deeply about and are fully committed to ensuring aviation safety. In particular, we want to ensure military aircraft properly coordinate with civil aviation authorities in order to avoid another tragic accident like the one that took place on January 29th, 2025.
“For that reason, the current NDAA provision (sec. 373) requires any Department of Defense helicopters conducting training missions in the national capital region to actively provide warning of its position to aircraft in the area. It further requires the Secretary of a military department to receive concurrence from the Secretary of Transportation prior to waiving this requirement.
“These important requirements are critical first steps that will help make our skies safer. We look forward to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) releasing the results of its investigation next month, and working with the NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology to determine what further action may be appropriate.
“We agree that there is more that needs to be done. The families of the tragic January 29th collision, the flying public, and our military deserve the most comprehensive approach that prioritizes safety.”
The House Armed Services Committee plays a key role in overseeing programs related to national defense and has jurisdiction over matters involving U.S. armed forces according to Rule X of the U.S. House Rules and Manual (source). Its responsibilities include influencing legislation such as provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act for community project funding (source). The committee also provides congressional oversight for national defense agencies (source).
Representative Mike Rogers serves as chair of this committee for both the 118th and 119th Congresses (source). Other notable members include Reps. Joe Wilson, Michael R. Turner and Robert J. Wittman (source).
The statement comes ahead of an expected report from the National Transportation Safety Board regarding its investigation into January’s accident.