Safety First: Why Lawmakers Are Pushing for a Deeper Look into the Deadly Helicopter Crash

Lawmakers are making a strong push to get to the bottom of a tragic helicopter crash that happened back in January. The crash, which involved a military helicopter and an American Airlines plane, resulted in the loss of 67 lives. Now, Representative Don Beyer is leading the charge to have the U. S. Army Inspector General conduct a thorough audit of the incident. The Army's Inspector General has so far declined to open an investigation, even after a bipartisan group of senators requested one back in June. Beyer is determined to change that by attaching a requirement for the audit to the annual Pentagon funding bill. This move is supported by Senator Ted Cruz, who has proposed similar legislation to look into aviation safety practices and any systemic issues that might have contributed to the crash. The crash has raised serious concerns about airport congestion and safety. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where the incident occurred, is known for having the busiest runway in the U. S. Lawmakers like Senator Mark Warner and Beyer have pointed out that the airport was designed to handle 14 million passengers a year, but it's now dealing with 26 million. This overcrowding, along with thousands of near-miss incidents, has lawmakers worried about the safety of air travel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also come under fire for not acting on reports of near-miss incidents before the crash. In August, the U. S. Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General launched an audit into the FAA's management of airspace and its exemptions for military aircraft. The FAA has also faced criticism for its handling of safety protocols, including a May incident where a close call forced two civilian planes to abort their landings. Senator Maria Cantwell has also joined the call for the Army's Inspector General to step up and launch its own audit. With so many lawmakers pushing for a deeper investigation, it's clear that the focus is on ensuring that such a tragedy does not happen again.