The Washington Post editorial board has called for the prompt passage of the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, highlighting bipartisan support for the legislation following a fatal crash in January 2025 that resulted in 67 deaths. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) collaborated with aviation groups, victims’ families, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to draft the bill.
The editorial stated: “Thirteen months after an Army helicopter collided in midair with an American Airlines flight landing at Reagan National Airport, the Pentagon is trying to blow up a good bipartisan deal to prevent such an accident from happening again. It’s especially galling because the military has previously accepted responsibility for the original crash and expressed support for this compromise before it passed the Senate unanimously.”
It continued: “Setting baseline rules for air traffic to prevent plane crashes is one of the government’s most fundamental responsibilities. If ever there was a time for Congress to pass a new law, it would be to solve vulnerabilities exposed by a tragedy that killed 67 people.”
The ROTOR Act had been expected to advance easily through the House. However, according to The Washington Post, last-minute opposition from the Defense Department cited concerns about operational security risks related to national defense activities. The editorial suggested that another House bill might allow greater military discretion regarding transponder use.
“But the administration’s previous expression of support shows that House members can be confident passing the Rotor Act as it stands won’t jeopardize national security, and they don’t need to create loopholes that might allow for a catastrophic repeat,” said The Washington Post editorial board.
The Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell engaged stakeholders including NTSB investigators who confirmed their proposals could have made a difference. The senators also secured backing from aviation organizations and families affected by the crash.
“Lawmakers give deference to the Defense Department’s views for good reasons. No one wants to unduly interfere with what the military needs to keep the country safe. Cruz and Cantwell say they worked with the Pentagon to include ‘specific language at the Pentagon’s behest to best protect classified flights.’ They also allowed the military to use alternative equipment to comply with the bill’s requirement that aircraft use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast technology,” according to The Washington Post.
The editorial added: “But Cruz and Cantwell correctly concluded that training flights — like the one that collided with the passenger jet — should need to broadcast their position in busy airspace, just like every other military and civilian flight.” Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell responded by saying “the version passed by the Senate does not reflect several of the mutually discussed updates.”
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy commented on social media: “‘I have stood by families over the last year as they grieve, as they receive condolences and offers of support, only to be dismissed and told NO on legislation that would’ve prevented this crash and that passed the Senate 100-0.’”
“The Pentagon should answer to the people’s elected representatives, not the other way around,” concluded The Washington Post editorial board.
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee oversees legislative matters involving commerce, science, and transportation during congressional sessions. This standing committee is directed by a chairman and includes senators from both parties; its main office is located in Washington D.C.'s Russell Senate Office Building.
