The U.S. Justice Department said late on Wednesday the federal government was liable in the fatal January 29 collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport.

Government officials have admitted there were failures by the Army Black Hawk helicopter crew in the fatal crash with an American Airlines jet over the Potomac River in January. The crash left 67 people dead.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is threatening to hold up funding to keep the federal government open after the end of January if reforms don't pass to tighten up the rules on military flights after the deadly collision between an airliner and an Army helicopter over Washington,