The U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass Senate bill S.2503, known as the ROTOR Act, after a suspension vote did not reach the required two-thirds majority on Tuesday. The measure received 264 yeas and 133 nays. A suspension vote is a fast-track process that limits debate and prohibits amendments, requiring support from two-thirds of members voting for approval.
The legislation would have required aircraft operating in certain airspace to be equipped with ADS-B In.
Debate a day earlier largely focused on how the proposal aligned with findings from the NTSB following last year’s fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that resulted in 67 fatalities.
Supporters of the ROTOR Act during Monday’s debate cited NTSB conclusions that ADS-B In could have provided earlier warning to flight crews.
“Last year’s January 29 midair collision at National Airport tragically took 67 lives, but it was preventable,” said Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va. “It’s our duty to do everything we can to keep this tragedy from ever happening again. This bill would enact a central recommendation for the NTSB’s final report on the collision, a requirement to use automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast technology, ADS-B, Out and In.”
Opponents noted that the ROTOR Act only addressed one of the NTSB’s major recommendations.
“S-2503 does not sufficiently or properly address the findings and recommendations of the board,” Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo. said. “Ultimately, any successful directive or mandate from Congress will be calculated, scalable, and future proof, not a blanket mandate that limits the aviation community to one technology.”
Several members also referenced a separate proposal, the ALERT Act, introduced by leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. That measure is described by its sponsors as addressing all 50 NTSB recommendations tied to the 2025 collision. No timeline has been announced for House consideration of the ALERT Act.
Although the ROTOR Act, which passed the Senate unanimously in December, did not pass on Tuesday, the House’s version could still return to the House floor under regular order, where it would require only a simple majority. Its provisions could also be revised in committee or otherwise be incorporated into broader aviation or defense legislation. Without further action from House leadership, however, the measure will not advance.
