January 29, 2026
Mr. Marshall (for himself, Mr. Moran, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Young, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Budd, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Husted, Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Reed, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Warren, Mr. Markey, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Warner) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
Honoring the victims of the 2025 Potomac River mid-air collision.
Whereas, on January 29, 2025, a United States Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger aircraft, operated as American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., collided in flight above the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport;
Whereas this tragedy took the lives of all 64 passengers and crew aboard the airliner and the lives of the 3 crew members aboard the helicopter, including individuals from Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and several foreign countries;
Whereas 11 young United States figure skating athletes, along with their parents and coaches, were among the victims of the collision;
Whereas 3 United States Army soldiers, who selflessly chose to serve and defend their country, lost their lives in this tragic accident;
Whereas 78 agencies and organizations responded in the aftermath of the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision, including first responders of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire and Rescue Department, the United States Coast Guard, the Maryland State Police, and other local, State, and Federal agencies, all of which acted promptly and selflessly in responding to the disaster and assisting in the recovery efforts;
Whereas Federal, State, and local officials have cooperated to conduct a thorough investigation of this incident;
Whereas countless individuals suffered the loss of a spouse, parent, sibling, friend, family member, or loved one; and
Whereas the lives of those lost will be remembered and cherished by those who loved them: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)
honors the memory of all victims of the 2025 Potomac River mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, recognizing their lives and contributions to their families and the United States of America;
(2)
offers sincere condolences to the families, loved ones, and friends of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident;
(3)
acknowledges the bravery and professionalism of the more than 1,700 first responders and emergency personnel, servicemembers, medical professionals, and investigators who assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts following the collision;
(4)
expresses its commitment to honoring and supporting the families affected by this tragedy; and
(5)
expresses its commitment to translating the safety lessons learned from the collision into action to prevent future incidents and ensure a similar crash does not happen again.