Mayor Muriel Bowser is pushing back against a proposed military expansion over the District's skies. In a vocal disapproval, Bowser has slammed Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2026. According to the Mayor's office, the contentious provision would open up Washington, DC's airspace for more military training missions, which the Mayor suggests would only complicate an already congested realm above.
The proposition comes on the heels of a sobering incident — a January crash over the Potomac has not vanished from the city's collective memory. The fallout from that day prompted urgent safety recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Department of Transportation, as per the Mayor's office. Yet here stands Section 373, a legislative maneuver in stark contrast to these expert admonitions, and according to Bowser, without heed to the NTSB, the lead agency on the crash probe.
In her statement, made public by the Mayor's office, Bowser raised the flag on the lack of consultation from pertinent safety professionals. "It is now clear that this provision was included without consultation from the NTSB, the agency leading the investigation into the crash, and without regard for the safety of DC residents, visitors, and our military personnel," she expressed.
The mayor emphasizes she’s not acting alone, citing a coalition working with federal agencies on the increasingly urgent issue. She has pressed Congress to remove Section 373 from the NDAA, urging lawmakers to follow expert safety recommendations.
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