Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation issued a joint statement after House leaders scheduled the ROTOR Act for floor action next week. The ROTOR Act, which addresses National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations following the DCA crash, passed the Senate by unanimous consent in December.
“We are encouraged that House lawmakers are ready to vote to enact the NTSB's post-DCA crash safety recommendations, including the ROTOR Act. We look forward to the House honoring the 67 lives lost in this preventable tragedy by approving the bipartisan ROTOR Act next week, which the Senate unanimously passed in December, and sending the bill to President Trump's desk. The ROTOR Act decisively closes the loopholes that caused the accident and has broad support from the Families of Flight 5342, aviation safety advocates, aviation businesses, labor unions, Trump administration officials, and many others. We will continue to partner with Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen to enact additional NTSB recommendations and make American skies safer,” Cruz and Cantwell stated.
The legislation aims to implement a long-standing NTSB recommendation requiring all aircraft broadcasting their locations through ADS-B Out technology also receive those signals in their cockpits—a capability known as “ADS-B In.” This system is already used by many general aviation pilots. The renewed effort follows a 2025 midair collision near Reagan National Airport involving an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that resulted in 67 fatalities.
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee oversees legislative matters related to commerce, science, and transportation during congressional sessions according to its official website. The committee is led by a chairman and includes senators from both parties. It operates as a standing committee within the legislative branch of government addressing policies on interstate commerce among other areas. Its main office is located in Washington D.C.’s Russell Senate Office Building.
###
