Sunflower State News

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation, has joined Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to introduce the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act. The announcement comes six months after a fatal midair collision at Washington National Airport (DCA). Family members of the crash victims, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford attended the press conference for the legislation’s introduction.

The ROTOR Act is cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

“Six months after the tragic midair collision at Washington National Airport, we are introducing legislation to improve in-flight safety to make certain that our nation’s airspace is safe for the traveling public,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will close FAA regulatory loopholes, require research on improving the safety of high-volume mixed-traffic airports and includes my legislation to make certain that aircraft operating at busy airports like DCA are equipped and transmitting critical positioning data to improve communication with air traffic control.”

Sen. Cruz added: “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,” he said. “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.”

Key provisions in the ROTOR Act include requiring all aircraft operators to be equipped with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) In technology so aircraft can receive location signals from other nearby aircraft and ground systems; closing an FAA loophole that allowed Army Black Hawk helicopters to fly without broadcasting ADS-B Out unless on sensitive government missions; requiring comprehensive FAA review of helicopter routes near congested airports; directing an Army Inspector General audit on aviation safety practices; initiating an FAA study on using audio or visual signals to reduce airspace confusion; and repealing a 2019 law exempting Department of Defense aircraft from some ADS-B requirements.

Earlier this year, Sen. Moran introduced related legislation targeting Class B airspace—high-traffic areas around major airports—to require both ADS-B In and Out technology for all operating aircraft while seeking repeal of military exemptions.