ROTOR Act

failedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

29 July 2025

Last action

24 February 2026 · Floor

Status

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 264 - 133 (Roll no. 72).

Summary

Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act or the ROTOR Act This bill addresses aviation safety by increasing requirements for aircraft tracking and communication using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and expanding oversight. As background, ADS-B for broadcasting (Out) and receiving (In) transmits information (e.g., location and weather information) between aircraft and air traffic control. Under the bill, aircraft must generally operate with ADS-B In equipment to provide the aircraft with location information of other aircraft and traffic advisories. Current law does not require this equipment. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations allow aircraft performing a sensitive government mission to be excepted from requirements for using ADS-B Out equipment. This bill limits which flights may be considered sensitive government missions (e.g., not training flights) and requires additional reporting and notifications for the exception. The Government Accountability Office must review the use of the ADS-B Out exception and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Transportation must annually audit FAA oversight of operations that use the exception. Further, the bill repeals a 2025 law that exempts certain military helicopters from the ADS-B Out requirements for the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The bill also requires the OIG of the Army to audit the Army’s coordination with the FAA, the FAA to establish an office to coordinate airspace usage of military aircraft and review the safety of flight operations and routes around airports, and the FAA to enter into memoranda of understanding with military agencies for safety information sharing.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

29 July 2025
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Source: IntroReferral
29 July 2025
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
21 October 2025
Reported
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
18 November 2025
Reported
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Source: Committee
18 November 2025
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 269.
Source: Calendars
18 November 2025
Reported
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Source: Committee
17 December 2025
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S8811-8817)
Source: Floor
17 December 2025
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Floor
18 December 2025
Floor
Held at the desk.
Source: Floor
18 December 2025
Floor
Received in the House.
Source: Floor
18 December 2025
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
23 February 2026
Vote
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Source: Floor
23 February 2026
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2503.
Source: Floor
23 February 2026
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2248-2257)
Source: Floor
23 February 2026
Floor
Mr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Source: Floor
24 February 2026
Vote
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 264 - 133 (Roll no. 72).
Source: Floor
24 February 2026
Vote
Failed of passage/not agreed to in House On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 264 - 133 (Roll no. 72).
Source: Floor
24 February 2026
Floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2277)
Source: Floor

Votes

24 February 2026 · failed · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Failed · Official source

Yes 264 · No 133 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 35

Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

4 official files

Engrossed in Senate
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 17 December 2025
View Download Open at official source
Passed Senate
summary · EN · 17 December 2025
Open at official source
Reported to Senate
Reported to Senate · EN · 18 November 2025
View Download Open at official source
Introduced in Senate
Introduced in Senate · EN · 29 July 2025
View Download Open at official source

Related records

related to ← ROTOR Act

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2503
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/119/s/2503
us · 119-s-2503 · source updated 10 April 2026