Since coming to Congress, I have heard from countless residents who are concerned about high volumes of non-essential helicopter traffic over our communities. We have continuously pushed the FAA and other federal authorities to address these dangerous conditions, excessive noise, and the role that helicopters play in this challenge. The tragic crash on the Hudson River in April 2025 was a clarion call for every level of government to take action on helicopter safety. We doubled down on our efforts and continued to partner with air safety officials to ensure that we prevent future tragedies and safeguard our communities from the pervasive issue of non-essential helicopter traffic in the region.
I am also fighting the negative impacts that helicopter noise pollution has had on many areas of our communities by advocating for the National Park Service (NPS) and the FAA to designate Liberty State Park as an avoidance area for helicopter traffic and by introducing the Communities Before Air Tourism Act.
I introduced the Protecting Communities from Helicopter Noise Act and the Communities Before Air Tourism Act, which aim to reduce the number of helicopter flights in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area. Additionally, I have sent several letters to the FAA demanding that they address safety concerns with the volume of helicopter traffic.
During the 119th Congress, I introduced bipartisan legislation, the Improving Helicopter SafetyAct, which bans all non-essential helicopter traffic within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty. Rising congestion of non-essential helicopters, coupled with concerning safety records of air tourism operators, are causing a direct threat to public safety. Along with my colleagues from New Jersey and New York, we’re doing what is necessary to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
From directly engaging with the FAA to introducing legislation banning non-essential helicopters from operating in our region, we’re tackling this issue head-on and are committed to putting the safety of our community first.
