S. 2503 · 119th Congress

ROTOR Act

Introduced on Jul 29, 2025 by Ted Cruz (R-TX). 21 cosponsors, 11 of them from another party. Latest action (Feb 24, 2026): On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 264 - 133 (Roll no. 72).

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Jul 29, 2025
Cosponsors
21
11 from the other party
Policy area
Transportation and Public Works
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

A bill to require all aircraft to be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In, to improve aviation safety, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Administrative law and regulatory procedures
  • Advisory bodies
  • Aviation and airports
  • Computers and information technology
  • Congressional oversight
  • Department of Transportation
  • Employment and training programs
  • Federal officials
  • Government information and archives
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Labor-management relations
  • Public-private cooperation
  • Transportation safety and security

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Passed Senate, Dec 17, 2025). Public domain.

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.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Ted CruzR-TXSponsor

Democrats · 11

Republicans · 10

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
    Feb 24, 2026· House· Passage· Failed 264–133

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Jul 29, 2025Introduced in Senate
  2. Jul 29, 2025 · SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  3. Oct 21, 2025 · SenateCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  4. Nov 18, 2025Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  5. Nov 18, 2025 · SenateCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  6. Nov 18, 2025 · SenatePlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 269.
  7. Dec 17, 2025 · SenateMeasure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S8811-8817)
  8. Dec 17, 2025 · SenateThe committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
  9. Dec 17, 2025Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  10. Dec 17, 2025 · SenatePassed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S8813-8817)
  11. Dec 18, 2025 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  12. Dec 18, 2025 · HouseReceived in the House.
  13. Dec 18, 2025 · HouseHeld at the desk.
  14. Feb 23, 2026 · HouseMr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  15. Feb 23, 2026 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2248-2257)
  16. Feb 23, 2026 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2503.
  17. Feb 23, 2026 · HouseAt 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.
  18. Feb 24, 2026 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2277)
  19. Feb 24, 2026Failed 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).House · Roll call 72
  20. Feb 24, 2026 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 264 - 133 (Roll no. 72).House · Roll call 72

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Who lobbied on it

Organizations whose lobbying reports (LD-2) name this measure. Spending is what they reported for those quarters on all issues, not on this measure alone.

  1. AMERICAN AIRLINES INC.13 reports
    $2.4M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC$8M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  2. AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL-NORTH AMERICA9 reports
    $1.5M reported (all issues)
  3. THE BOEING COMPANY9 reports
    $10.7M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: THE BOEING COMPANY$9B in contracts, FY2026AI match · 99%
  4. REGIONAL AIRLINE ASSOCIATION8 reports
    $400K reported (all issues)
  5. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES6 reports
    $4.3M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES INC$12.3K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  6. JOBY AERO6 reports
    $320K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: JOBY AERO INCAI match · 100%
  7. UNITED AIRLINES, INC.6 reports
    $5M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: UNITED AIRLINES, INC.$11.9M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  8. Airlines for America5 reports
    $330K reported (all issues)
  9. GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION5 reports
    $675K reported (all issues)
  10. The Sherwin-Williams Company5 reports
    $870K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COMPANY$4.9M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  11. Acron Aviation4 reports
    $100K reported (all issues)
  12. Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (d/b/a Airlines for America)4 reports
    $4.7M reported (all issues)
  13. BRISTOW GROUP INC.4 reports
    Federal contractor: BRISTOW LLCAI match · 100%
  14. City of Denton4 reports
    $40K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: CITY OF DENTON$302.6K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 99%
  15. DPWN Holdings (USA) Inc. (Formerly Known as Deutsche Post World Net-USA, Inc.)4 reports
    $306.9K reported (all issues)
  16. Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc.4 reports
    $240K reported (all issues)
  17. FEDEX CORPORATION4 reports
    $12.9M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: FEDEX SUPPLY CHAIN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, INC.$407.8M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  18. GARMIN INTERNATIONAL4 reports
    $1M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: GARMIN INTERNATIONAL, INC.$291.1K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  19. Greenville-Spartanburg Airport4 reports
    $60K reported (all issues)
  20. HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL4 reports
    $8M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.$260.5M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  21. Kreindler & Kreindler (for certain American 5342 clients)4 reports
    $80K reported (all issues)
  22. NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION4 reports
    $1.5M reported (all issues)
  23. NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION4 reports
    $334.1K reported (all issues)
  24. PROFESSIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SPECIALISTS4 reports
    $495.8K reported (all issues)
  25. RELIABLE ROBOTICS CORPORATION4 reports
    $480K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: RELIABLE ROBOTICS CORPORATION$2.4M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  26. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO4 reports
    $1.5M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.$105.7K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  27. TEXTRON INC.4 reports
    Federal contractor: TEXTRON SYSTEMS CORPORATION$74M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  28. TRANSPORTATION TRADES DEPARTMENT, AFL-CIO4 reports
    $1.6M reported (all issues)
  29. Vertical Aviation International4 reports
    $410K reported (all issues)
  30. Aerospace Industries Association of America, Inc.3 reports
    $2M reported (all issues)
  31. Alaska Airlines, Inc.3 reports
    $1.5M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: ALASKA AIRLINES, INC.$4.6M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  32. Delta Air Lines, Inc.3 reports
    $1.5M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: DELTA AIR LINES, INC.$8.9M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  33. GOGO INC.3 reports
    $270K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: GOGO BUSINESS AVIATION LLC$168K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 95%
  34. HAWAIIAN AIRLINES, INC.3 reports
    $300K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: HAWAIIAN AIRLINES, INC$619.5K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  35. NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION3 reports
  36. NETJETS ASSOCIATION OF SHARED AIRCRAFT PILOTS3 reports
    $170K reported (all issues)
  37. NJASAP)3 reports
    $30K reported (all issues)
  38. NetJets Services, Inc.3 reports
    $180K reported (all issues)
  39. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS ASSOCIATION3 reports
    $540K reported (all issues)
  40. Southwest Airlines Pilots Assn.)3 reports
    $30K reported (all issues)

Reports filed in 2025, 2026.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.
  • Money and votes are shown side by side; neither explains the other.