WASHINGTON, D.C.–U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) emphasized that, despite the House of Representatives failing by just one vote to achieve the two-thirds vote necessary to send the bipartisan Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act to the President’s desk today, he will continue the fight to strengthen aviation safety, honor the 67 victims of the January 2025 DCA crash, and prevent another avoidable tragedy. 

Sen. Cruz commended the victims’ families and loved ones for their relentless advocacy of the ROTOR Act, which passed the Senate unanimously in December. He also thanked other ROTOR Act supporters — including his colleagues, pilots, aviation stakeholders, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) — for working to make America’s skies safer. 

Although the ROTOR Act did not meet the procedural threshold for expedited consideration under House rules, a strong majority of House members did vote in favor of the bill, highlighting the legislation’s broad bipartisan support. Combined with the unanimous passage of the bill in the Senate, the House vote of 264-133 makes clear that Congress overwhelmingly supports enactment of the ROTOR Act. Sen. Cruz stated that he will not stop fighting for reforms that ensure the highest safety standards in American aviation. 

Sen. Cruz said, “Over one year ago 67 individuals lost their lives to a preventable tragedy when?multiple layers of safety failed. Only the ROTOR Act ensures that all?airplanes and helicopters?flying in U.S. airspace play?by the same set of rules. An overwhelming bipartisan majority of House lawmakers today made it abundantly clear that the ROTOR Act should pass and go to President Trump’s desk. Today’s result was just a temporary delay. We will succeed, and ROTOR Act will become the law of the land. The families and the flying public deserve nothing less.”

Background

The ROTOR Act enacts a long-standing recommendation from the NTSB?that all?aircraft?required?to broadcast their locations via ADS-B Out should receive those same signals in the cockpit. This capability, known as?ADS-B In?is already widely used by?major airlines?and?tens of?thousands?of?general aviation pilots. The latest push to expand ADS-B In comes one year after the 2025 midair collision near Reagan National Airport between an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people.

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