Sen. Ted Cruz says he'll block government funding unless Section 373 — alleged to roll back safeguards after the January midair collision that killed 67 — is stripped from the NDAA and replaced by the bipartisan ROTOR Act; Leader John Thune aims to hold a vote this week.
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The fight centers on Section 373, which critics say weakens post‑crash safeguards after the January midair collision that killed 67; any change will directly affect rules governing military flights near civil airspace.
Sen. Cruz is tying aviation safety fixes to must‑pass funding, so the outcome could be decided on an accelerated timetable if leadership folds the ROTOR/Cruz language into the funding bill — a dynamic that has driven rapid legislative action on aviation staffing in past shutdowns (see efforts to guarantee pay for FAA air‑traffic controllers during future shutdowns and Senate moves to advance controller/TSA pay measures during a shutdown).
Rapid funding and appropriation decisions can have operational and safety consequences for agencies; similar budget impoundment and funding disputes have already been linked to safety and mission impacts at federal agencies.
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• Josh Funk