On December 11, 2025, a contentious debate erupted in the nation’s capital as Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser publicly denounced a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. The provision, known as Section 373, would expand military flight training missions in DC’s already crowded airspace, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from local leaders, federal safety officials, and families affected by past aviation tragedies.
The flashpoint for this controversy is the memory of a devastating incident earlier in the year. In January 2025, a mid-air collision over the Potomac River resulted in the deaths of 67 people, sending shockwaves through the region and prompting urgent safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Department of Transportation. These agencies implemented new protective measures to safeguard the skies above the nation’s capital, aiming to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
Yet, as the U.S. House of Representatives passed the NDAA with Section 373 intact, many questioned whether lawmakers were ignoring the hard-earned lessons of that disaster. According to Popville and the Mayor’s office, Mayor Bowser minced no words in her response. “I am deeply concerned about the provision included in the NDAA which would allow military departments to authorize training missions in DC’s already crowded and complex airspace. Following the tragic crash over the Potomac River in January, federal agencies including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Department of Transportation issued urgent safety recommendations and implemented measures to protect everyone flying to and from our nation’s capital. This provision disregards those efforts and reverses the progress we’ve made,” Bowser said in a statement released on December 11.
Bowser’s criticism was not limited to the substance of the bill but extended to the process itself. She expressed frustration that Section 373 was included without any consultation from the NTSB, the very agency leading the investigation into the Potomac crash. “It is now clear that this provision was included without consultation from the NTSB, the agency leading the investigation into the crash, and without regard for the safety of DC residents, visitors, and our military personnel,” she stated, as reported by Hoodline.
The Mayor’s opposition is far from solitary. She has joined forces with a coalition of local leaders and federal agencies, all urging Congress to remove Section 373 from the NDAA and to heed the advice of aviation safety experts. Bowser pledged to “continue working alongside our federal partners to ensure compliance with safety protocols and to protect the integrity of our airspace.”
The controversy quickly drew national attention. According to Hoodline, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the NDAA, including Section 373, which would allow military helicopters to operate in the airspace at Reagan National Airport (DCA). This move would roll back key safety reforms that were put in place after the January tragedy. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy was especially vocal in her opposition, warning that Section 373 would grant the military “unfettered access” to DCA’s airspace, a step she described as a “significant, significant safety step back.”
Homendy’s assessment was blunt: “It represents an unacceptable risk to the flying public, to commercial and military aircraft crews, and to the residents in the region,” she said. “It’s also an unthinkable dismissal of our investigation and to 67 families who lost loved ones in a tragedy that was entirely preventable.” Homendy added that the NTSB was not consulted about the inclusion of Section 373, a point that has fueled further outrage among safety advocates and lawmakers alike.
In the days following the House vote, leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation—Senators Ted Cruz, Maria Cantwell, Jerry Moran, and Tammy Duckworth—joined the chorus of critics. They charged that the NDAA “fails to make the skies safer,” especially at a time when, according to Pentagon data, military aircraft accidents have spiked since 2020. Their bipartisan rebuke underscored the widespread concern that the bill’s current form does little to address the dangers highlighted by the January crash.
Perhaps the most poignant voices in the debate have been those of the families who lost loved ones in the Flight 5342 disaster. In a joint statement, the families urged Congress to “strengthen Section 373 by requiring real, enforceable visibility standards for all military aircraft operating near civilian traffic.” They warned, “Section 373 does not resolve the visibility and coordination failures that contributed to the tragedy. As written, it leaves the status quo largely unchanged.” Their plea was a stark reminder that the stakes of this legislative decision are not abstract—they are deeply personal for many in the region.
Local lawmakers have echoed these concerns. Senator Mark Warner, representing Virginia, was unequivocal in his assessment: “After what happened in January, it’s clear that we cannot rely on the DoD alone to be the safety authority over its flights in this area and that we need more, not less, oversight to prevent another tragedy from ever occurring again.” Warner’s statement, cited by Hoodline, reflects a growing consensus among regional leaders that robust oversight and adherence to expert safety recommendations are essential for protecting the public.
As the NDAA heads to the Senate, the fate of Section 373 hangs in the balance. Mayor Bowser, the NTSB, affected families, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are all pressing for changes that would prioritize safety over convenience or expediency. The debate has become a litmus test for how Congress responds to expert advice in the wake of tragedy—and whether the lessons learned from past mistakes will guide future policy.
For many Washingtonians, the debate is not just about policy or procedure. It’s about the daily reality of living under some of the nation’s busiest and most complex airspace, and the expectation that those in power will act to protect the community from avoidable harm. As Bowser and others have made clear, the memory of January’s crash is still fresh, and the city’s leaders are determined that such a catastrophe should never be repeated.
With the Senate expected to take up the NDAA in the coming week, all eyes are on Capitol Hill. Will lawmakers heed the calls of safety experts, grieving families, and local officials? Or will Section 373 become law, ushering in a new era of risk in DC’s skies? The answer will shape not just the future of military training flights, but the broader question of how America balances national defense with the safety of its own citizens.
As the debate continues, one thing is certain: the voices of those demanding accountability and safety will not be easily silenced, and the outcome of this legislative battle will reverberate far beyond the capital’s borders.
