Sen. Moran Statement on DOT Inspector General’s Audit of the DCA Airspace & Use of ADS-B Technology

In June, Moran called on the Inspector General to conduct an audit following the January 29 tragedy
WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the of Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation – today released the following statement after the Department of Transportation Acting Inspector General announced that it will conduct an audit of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) management of the airspace around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and exemptions for the use of ADS-B technology:
“Since the tragic crash on January 29 that claimed 67 lives, it has become clear that, despite years of data and warnings, the FAA and the Army ignored the dangerous conditions around DCA and failed to prioritize safety. The recent public hearings conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board further underscored serious problems with the airspace around DCA, and this investigation is critical to reforming the airspace. I appreciate the Acting Inspector General for heeding congressional calls for an investigation and for particularly looking at exemptions that allow certain aircraft to disable the ADS-B technology that helps air traffic control and other aircraft track each other while in flight.”
In June, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in calling on the Inspectors General for the Department of Transportation and the Army to conduct audits of the airspace and the response to the midair collision on January 29. The Army has not yet initiated an audit.
Congressional Action since January 29:
Feb. 5: Sen. Moran and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)
call on the FAA
to restrict non-essential helicopter operations near DCA.
March 13: Sen. Moran and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
press the Army
to answer questions regarding the Army’s role in the midair collision on January 29th.
March 27: The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation
holds a hearing
on the January 29 midair collision.
May 14: Sen. Moran
questions FAA officials
on the lack of response on near-miss data aggregated in their databases during a Commerce hearing.
May 16: Sen. Moran
introduces legislation
to require all aircraft in high-volume airspace to use ADS-B technology.
May 16: Sen. Moran
questions Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
during a hearing on current restrictions around DCA.
June 10: Senators
call for audits
into the Department of Transportation and the Army’s response to the midair collision.
June 11: Sen. Moran leads a roundtable with NTSB, FAA and Army on additional near collisions that occurred between an Army helicopter and two commercial aircraft in April after the crash.
June 12: Sen. Moran
questions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
on the use of ADS-B technology in military aircraft.
July 29: Sen. Moran joins his colleagues in
introducing the ROTOR Act
to require the use of location technology in high-volume airspace and initiate a review of flight routes near DC and an Inspector General’s audit of the Army’s aviation practices.
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