Legislation would put ADS-B safety tech in aircraft and improve air traffic control 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act to improve aviation safety. The bill comes six months to the day after the tragic January 29^th midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

The ROTOR Act establishes new requirements for virtually all aircraft and helicopters to use Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B). ADS-B technology allows aircraft to accurately communicate their location with greater precision than traditional radar. The ROTOR Act requires all aircraft in controlled airspace to be equipped with ADS-B In, which will allow pilots to communicate better with other aircraft, air traffic control (ATC), and vehicles on the ground.

The legislation also closes a loophole that permits the Department of Defense to fly aircraft domestically without having to use so-called “ADS-B Out” technology. Additionally, the bill enhances oversight of helicopter routes near commercial service airports, requires quarterly reports on ADS-B Out compliance, and studies potential improvements to the airspace around DCA.

Upon the introduction of the bill, Sen. Cruz said, “Today is an auspicious day for aviation safety—a day marked by a revived spirit of hope and a shared determination to act in the face of an unforgettable tragedy. American skies must be as safe as possible, and our duty as lawmakers is to ensure that they are. The ROTOR Act represents a common-sense step forward in aviation safety reform. One of the most important parts of this bill is the requirement that all aircraft, military and civilian, use both ADS-B Out and ADS-B In. We will not wait for another accident to happen before we finally protect American skies. We have made it abundantly clear that when American lives are at risk, excuses are not acceptable.”

The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

For a one pager, click HERE.

Watch Sen. Cruz’s press conference HERE.

Background:

On January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided midair near DCA, tragically claiming 67 lives. Since then, there have been discoveries of known safety gaps.

Sen. Cruz has sought out accountability for ongoing coordination issues between the Army and DCA air traffic control. Immediately following the tragic January 29^th incident, Sens. Cruz and Moran hosted a briefing for Commerce Committee members with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Army.

After the release of NTSB’s preliminary report, Sens. Cruz and Moran sent a letter pressing Brigadier General Matthew Braman, Director of Army Aviation for Headquarters, for more information on the tragic crash.

In March, following the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation hearing in which officials from the FAA, the Army, and NTSB testified, Sens. Cruz and Cantwell sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requesting he promptly order the production of the Army’s August 9, 2024 memo titled “ADS-B Out Off Operations in the National Airspace.” The Army repeatedly refused to provide the requested memo, failing to share it with Commerce Committee staff when requested earlier in March and denying Sens. Cruz and Cantwell’s request during the subcommittee hearing.

In June, Sens. Cruz and Cantwell, alongside U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.), led their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Transportation and the Inspector General of the Department of the Army requesting concurrent audits in response to the January 29^th midair collision.

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