Ted Cruz Calls NDAA Helicopter Provision 'Indefensible' After Black Hawk Collision

NDAA Provision Oversight

• 📌 The provision allowing military helicopters to fly without notifying commercial aircraft was not subjected to the ordinary clearance process for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
• ⚠️ Had the Commerce Committee been consulted, both the chairman and ranking member would have emphatically objected to this provision.

Lack of Support for the Provision

• 💬 Senator Ted Cruz stated he has not found a single senator who defends the provision on its merits.
• 🎯 In light of recent events, the provision is considered indefensible.

Preventing Future Accidents

• ✈️ The provision's passage in the "dead of night" is criticized, especially considering the 67 lives lost this year.
• 🚨 There is a duty to prevent another accident like the January incident for the flying public, including family members.

Awareness and Objection

• 🗣️ The language in the NDAA was objected to immediately upon becoming aware of it during the House of Representatives' vote.
• ❓ It's unclear if lawmakers believed this language would be removed, but awareness led to swift objection.