WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford on their efforts and commitments to ensure the safety and security of the airspace surrounding Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) following the midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial American Airlines flight on January 29th.

“It’s my understanding, from information from the Army, that since January 29th, seven flights have taken off and landed at the Pentagon,” said Sen. Moran. “Six of those flights occurred during periods of high volume at DCA. One of those aircraft caused two different commercial flights to abort landing on May 1st, and since this latest incident, I understand that all flights have been halted. My question is, will you commit to maintaining that restriction on all non-essential rotary flights, including VIP transport from the Pentagon until the Department of Transportation – the FAA – determines the safe way in which that can be done, if there is a safe way?”

“There are essential reasons why you may need to move along a corridor similar to that, but there is no authorization for VIP or convenience flights along that route,” responded Secretary Hegseth. “You have our assurance that I’m working with Secretary Duffy very closely to make sure that the only flights that would be – even in a modified path – would be those that are necessary and are authorized.”

During a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing, Sen. Moran also requested that, if confirmed, FAA Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford use his position at the FAA to ensure that the airspace near DCA is safe and secure.

“[Secretary Hegseth] assured me that there are no current authorizations – nor will there be an authorization for VIP or convenience flights along [the Pentagon route],” said Sen. Moran. “He said that he and Secretary Duffy are in close coordination. I was hoping he would commit to making certain that there were no flights occurring [along that route] until the FAA – the Department of Transportation – determined there was a safe manner in which to conduct those flights, but the airspace control is the FAA’s – is the Department of Transportation’s – is that true?”

“My understanding is the FAA is supreme when it comes to the control of the airspace,” said Mr. Bedford. “But we want to be good partners with the Department of Defense, and we have protocols on how to do that – multiple protocols, as I understand. And as an aviator, we create military operating areas – restricted space, prohibited space, line of fire space, alert zones. We have lots of ways we can accommodate – and we will accommodate – the Department of Defense’s training needs but we can’t have this mixed use traffic in Class-B airspace."

In May, Sen. Moran introduced legislation to improve aviation safety by requiring all aircraft operating in high-volume airspace to install and use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In and Out technology and repealing the FY2019 NDAA provision that authorized exemptions to its installation and use. As Chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation, Sen. Moran held an aviation roundtable yesterday on ongoing safety concerns in the DCA airspace. Witnesses included National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy, FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau, Director of Army Aviation, Brigadier General Matthew Braman and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, Peter Belk.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Questioning of FAA nominee, Bryan Bedford.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Questioning of Secretary Hegseth

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