Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has introduced the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, aimed at improving aviation safety through expanded use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) technology. The legislation was announced six months after a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that resulted in 67 fatalities.
The ROTOR Act would require nearly all aircraft and helicopters operating in controlled airspace to be equipped with both ADS-B In and Out systems. This technology allows for more precise communication of an aircraft’s location compared to traditional radar, facilitating better coordination between pilots, air traffic control, and ground vehicles.
The bill also addresses a current exemption that allows Department of Defense aircraft to operate domestically without using ADS-B Out technology. If passed, this loophole would be closed. Additional provisions include increased oversight of helicopter routes near commercial airports, quarterly compliance reports on ADS-B Out usage, and a study into potential improvements for the airspace around DCA.
“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,” said Sen. Cruz upon introducing the bill.
The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), 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.).
Following the January 29 incident involving American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk military helicopter near DCA, which highlighted ongoing coordination issues between Army operations and local air traffic control, members of Congress sought accountability from relevant agencies. Sens. Cruz and Moran organized briefings with officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and Army shortly after the crash.
After NTSB released its preliminary report on the accident, Sens. Cruz and Moran requested further information from Brigadier General Matthew Braman regarding Army aviation protocols related to the crash.
In March, during a subcommittee hearing featuring testimony from FAA, Army, and NTSB officials, Sens. Cruz and Maria Cantwell sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth seeking release of an August 2024 Army memo about “ADS-B Out Off Operations in the National Airspace.” The Army did not provide this document despite repeated requests.
By June, Sens. Cruz and Cantwell joined Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in asking inspectors general from both Transportation and Army departments to conduct concurrent audits related to the January collision.
