I look forward to continuing this important work with my colleagues in the House and Senate on a final legislative product to ensure that our skies remain safest in the world.
Continue working with House and Senate colleagues on final legislation to improve aviation safety and ensure U.S. skies remain the safest in the world.
Occurrences
As a national leader for U.S. aviation and space policy and a representative of the interests of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Chairman Babin’s work plays a vital role in expanding and supporting the future of American innovation. His visit to the Air Capital of the World was especially significant due to our leadership in innovation in the aerospace industry.
Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted in favor of the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act, comprehensive bipartisan aviation safety legislation following the tragic mid-air collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger aircraft in January 2025.
Following his swearing-in, he defeated air traffic control privatization that would have been harmful to the general aviation industry...
defended Wichita’s aviation industry from so-called air traffic control privatization plans
Evidence
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The NTSB said the Laredo jet crash was still in the early stages of investigation and that the cause had not yet been determined. Investigators were reviewing cockpit recorders, physical evidence, and witness statements.
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The article said a June 20 near-miss at Boston Logan was under FAA investigation, and that a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing on aviation safety was scheduled for June 23, 2026.
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The Department of War said it appreciated the senators' engagement on the ROTOR Act and had worked closely with the Commerce Committee, but that the Senate-passed version did not reflect several mutually discussed updates and would create unresolved budgetary and security burdens.
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The article said the bipartisan ROTOR Act failed in the House by one vote after Senate support, while House Republicans pushed the ALERT Act instead.
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The August 30 report says aviation safety reforms remain stalled more than 18 months after the Wichita-D.C. crash; the Senate passed the ROTOR Act, the House rejected it, and the House-passed ALERT Act had not been taken up by the Senate. It also reports no public indication that a compromise is imminent, though House and Senate staff remain in talks.
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Rep. Estes' office states that he voted for the ALERT Act, described as comprehensive bipartisan aviation safety legislation, after unanimous committee approval and House passage by 396-10. Estes said he looked forward to continuing work with House and Senate colleagues on a final legislative product to keep U.S. skies safe.
Assessments
Estes took same-term action on aviation-safety legislation, including voting for the House ALERT Act and supporting continued House-Senate negotiations. But the promised outcome was final legislation, and the evidence shows no enacted final aviation-safety package by August 30, 2026: the Senate-passed ROTOR Act failed in the House, the House-passed ALERT Act had not advanced in the Senate, and negotiations remained unresolved. This is a serious legislative effort without delivery of the promised final outcome.
The evidence shows serious same-term congressional work on aviation safety, including bipartisan negotiations, Senate action, and House consideration, but the key package was not enacted and no final aviation-safety legislation was delivered. Ongoing hearings and open FAA/NTSB investigations further indicate the issue remained active rather than resolved. Under the stated rule, a substantial legislative attempt that falls short of the promised outcome is best scored as never, with effort credit.