- H.R. 7613, the ALERT Act, was introduced by Rep. Sam Graves on February 20, 2026.
- The bill would make ADS-B Out the default for most Defense Department aircraft, with security exceptions.
- Most covered aircraft would need integrated ADS-B In by December 31, 2031, along with added FAA reviews near DCA.
Virginia senators are preparing a post-crash flight-restriction proposal, but the named measure now moving through Congress is a House bill sponsored by Missouri Republican Rep. Sam Graves. The legislation, H.R. 7613, would expand aircraft tracking and impose new safety reviews around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after the DCA collision.
The Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026, or the ALERT Act, would cover military and civilian aircraft. Graves introduced it on February 20, 2026.
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The Senate received H.R. 7613 on April 15, 2026. It then referred the measure to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
The congressional record identifies Graves as the bill’s sponsor, not a Virginia senator. It also does not establish that H.R. 7613 is the separate Senate measure referenced in the broader flight-restriction push.
The bill would make aircraft tracking the default for most military flights
The legislation would require the Department of Defense and Department of Transportation to agree on collision-prevention technology for Defense Department aircraft. ADS-B Out would become the default, unless transmitting the aircraft’s position created an operational-security concern.
ADS-B systems allow aircraft to broadcast location and other flight information. The bill would also require most Defense Department aircraft, excluding certain special-mission aircraft, to operate integrated ADS-B In technology by December 31, 2031.
Civil aircraft already required to carry ADS-B Out would generally need ADS-B In by the same deadline. The proposed requirements would therefore extend beyond military helicopters operating near the capital.
The deadline is years away.
| Proposed requirement | Covered aircraft or agency | Deadline or condition |
|---|---|---|
| ADS-B Out as the default | Department of Defense aircraft | Exception allowed for operational security |
| Integrated ADS-B In | Most Defense Department aircraft | December 31, 2031 |
| ADS-B In | Civil aircraft already required to use ADS-B Out | Generally required by December 31, 2031 |
Washington-area helicopter missions would face added risk reviews
Special-mission Defense Department helicopters operating in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area could remain exempt from ADS-B Out transmissions. They would not escape oversight under the proposal.
The bill would require a safety risk assessment and appropriate mitigations for those missions. It would also require the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate and revise helicopter routes around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Another provision would direct the FAA to establish time-on-position limits for supervisory air traffic control personnel. The measure would also create a process for notifying parties involved in certain near-miss incidents.
Those provisions target both aircraft visibility and the management of flights near the airport. The bill does not rely on tracking technology alone.
Other Virginia-backed measures address nearby aviation-safety questions
Two separate House measures introduced by Virginia lawmakers are also part of the congressional aviation-safety activity surrounding the airport and regional airspace.
Rep. Eugene Simon Vindman, a Democrat representing Virginia’s 7th District, introduced H.R. 8244, the Neighborhood Skies Act of 2026, on April 9, 2026. The House Armed Services Committee received the bill.
Rep. Donald S. Beyer, Jr., a Democrat representing Virginia’s 8th District, introduced H.R. 9622, the Modernizing Aeronautical Standards Act, on July 9, 2026. The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee received that measure.
Neither measure is identified as the House sponsor vehicle for the flight restrictions described in H.R. 7613. Their presence shows a wider congressional response, but the proposals remain separate legislative tracks.
The Senate referral gives H.R. 7613 its next formal setting in Congress. Its most concrete aviation requirements would not take effect immediately, with the principal aircraft-equipment deadline set for December 31, 2031.
