Confusion reigned on Capitol Hill in the aftermath of a brief airspace closure over El Paso, Texas. But one House Democratic duo was quick to identify a potential culprit: the annual defense policy bill.
While other lawmakers demanded answers, Democratic Reps. Rick Larsen (Wash.) and André Carson (Ind.) quickly cast blame on the White House for airdropping language into the FY2026 NDAA signed into law late last year that they allege gave the Pentagon wide latitude to operate in the skies above military bases.
“Now, we’ve got the DOD thinking they own the civilian airspace in this country and they don’t,” Larsen, the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said in a brief interview.
