It’s especially galling because the military has previously accepted responsibility for the original crash and expressed support for this compromise before it passed the Senate unanimously. Setting baseline rules for air traffic to prevent plane crashes is one of the government’s most fundamental responsibilities. The Rotor Act would do all the above, and it was expected to easily clear the House. The real reason for the Pentagon’s reversal was that a competing House bill would offer the military more latitude to ignore new rules about using transponders. No one wants to unduly interfere with what the military needs to keep the country safe.

Source: Washington Post February 24, 2026 18:42 UTC