Sen. Ted Cruz asked whether a hotline between military and civilian air traffic controllers in Washington, D.C., that hasn’t worked for more than three years may have contributed to another near miss shortly after the U.

The Deputy FAA Air Traffic Control chief said the issue came to light after Reagan National had to wave off two incoming flights.

An FAA official said the hotline, which connects air traffic control at Washington's DCA with the Pentagon, hasn't worked since 2022. An Army helicopter collided with a passenger jet there in January.