House Rejects ROTOR Act Mandating Aircraft Locator Systems
Aviation News Editor & Industry Analyst delivering clear coverage for a worldwide audience.
The U.S. House failed to pass the ROTOR Act, a bill requiring collision avoidance systems on all aircraft following last year's fatal midair collision.
Key Takeaways
- •Failed to pass the House with a 264-133 vote, falling short of the required two-thirds majority.
- •Sought to mandate ADS-B In collision avoidance technology, a system the NTSB has recommended since 2008.
- •Responded directly to a January 2025 midair collision that killed 67 people near Washington, D.C.
- •Faces a competing House bill that proposes further FAA study rather than an immediate technology mandate.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday failed to pass a key aviation safety bill designed to prevent midair collisions, falling short of the supermajority needed for approval. The legislation, known as the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, received 264 votes in favor and 133 against, but failed to clear the two-thirds threshold required under the fast-track process used for the vote.
The bill was drafted in response to a tragic midair collision near Washington, D.C., in January 2025 between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, which resulted in the deaths of 67 people. The proposed law would have mandated that all aircraft operating in busy airspace be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In technology, which allows pilots to see real-time traffic information from other aircraft. While a complementary ADS-B Out system has been required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since January 1, 2020, the receiving ADS-B In capability is not universally mandated.
Legislative Disagreement and Competing Priorities
The ROTOR Act had passed the Senate with unanimous support before moving to the House. However, it faced opposition from industry groups including Airlines for America, the military, and major general aviation organizations. These groups have instead supported a competing, more comprehensive House bill introduced last week by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.
The key difference between the two proposals lies in their approach to collision avoidance. The Senate's ROTOR Act called for an immediate mandate of proven ADS-B In technology. The competing House version, however, directs the FAA to conduct a lengthy rulemaking process to investigate what technology might be best, a move critics argue would significantly delay a solution.
Safety advocates and victims' families strongly supported the ROTOR Act. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, called the failed bill "the clearest and most direct way to avoid midair collisions." Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the 2025 crash, criticized the competing House bill as "a clear effort to just punt ADS-B In into a place where it can just go and die."
A Long-Standing Safety Recommendation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been recommending the installation of such locator systems since 2008. In its investigation of the 2025 crash, the agency determined that ADS-B In technology could have provided pilots with a warning 59 seconds before the potential collision, a significant increase from the 19 seconds offered by existing Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) technology.
Cost has been a central concern in the debate. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy testified before Congress that the cost is manageable, noting that American Airlines equipped over 300 of its Airbus A321 aircraft for $50,000 each. For general aviation pilots, portable receivers that display traffic on an iPad are available for about $400.
Despite the clear safety benefits outlined by the NTSB, the push for a more comprehensive but less immediate solution prevailed in the House vote. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves said his bill addresses all 50 of the NTSB's recommendations from the crash investigation, though Chairwoman Homendy has stated it falls short.
What Comes Next
Following the vote, legislative leaders pledged to continue working toward a solution. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the House and Senate will collaborate to get an aviation safety bill passed. Chairman Graves suggested the House bill could be marked up in committee as soon as next week.
Proponents of the ROTOR Act have vowed to continue their efforts. Senator Ted Cruz, a lead sponsor of the bill, said, "We will succeed, and ROTOR Act will become the law of the land. The families and the flying public deserve nothing less." The outcome remains uncertain as the two chambers must now reconcile their different approaches to mandating collision avoidance technology.
Why This Matters
This legislative failure highlights the persistent conflict between immediate safety mandates and the pressures of compliance costs and regulatory processes in the aviation industry. The vote delays the implementation of a technology the NTSB has advocated for over a decade, leaving a known safety gap in busy airspace unresolved while Congress debates competing legislative paths forward.
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Written by Ujjwal Sukhwani
Aviation News Editor & Industry Analyst delivering clear coverage for a worldwide audience. Covers flight operations, safety regulations, and market trends with expert analysis.
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