Inquiry Underway into Advertising Bill Affecting Aviation Data Use

Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE) commented on the ALERT Act, which the House passed in April following a January 2025 midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport. The bill proposes Section 105, which would restrict both public and private entities from using ADS-B information to generate revenue from aircraft owners and operators unless they consent. The Senate's ROTOR Act does not include a comparable restriction on this data use.

The proposed Section 105 would also generally prevent federal, state, local, and tribal officials from initiating civil investigations based exclusively on ADS-B data. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that revenue losses resulting from the restrictions would be small.