S. 2503

ROTOR Act

Sponsor: Ted Cruz

21 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

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.

Text of the bill

Expand all
Sec. 6. Inspector General of the Army audit Changed · Dec 17, 2025

Where this section came from

  1. Jul 29, 2025 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Jul 29, 2025
  2. Dec 17, 2025 · Engrossed in Senate S.Amdt. 4070: In the nature of a substitute. Official page ›
What changed in the text

(a) In general. Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Army shall initiate an audit to evaluate the Army’s coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration FAA , pilot training, and qualification standards, and the Army’s use of ADS–B Out and whether it adheres to Army policy, regulation, and law.

… 1 unchanged passage …

(1) whether Army policy and United States law was adhered to, and the Army’s coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration FAA , during National Capitol Capital Region ( in this subsection referred to as the NCR) operations of pilot training and qualifications standards in the NCR;

(2) the Army’s policy on ADS–B Out equipage, usage, and activation;

(3) maintenance protocols for UH–60 Black Hawk helicopters operated by the 12th Army Aviation Brigade including, but not limited to, the calibration of any system that transmits altitude and position information outside the aircraft and the calibration of systems that sends send altitude and position information to the pilots inside the aircraft , and the frequency with which such maintenance protocols occur ;

… 3 unchanged passages …

(1) transmit a report on the results of the audit, without redactions, to the Committee on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and

(2) publicly release the report without redactions, except to the extent required for national security reasons.

(d) Interim reporting. Not later than 180 days after initiating the audit required by subsection (a), and every 180 days thereafter until such audit is concluded, the Inspector General of the Army shall brief the committees of Congress described in subsection (c)(1) regarding the progress of such audit.

(a) In general. Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Army shall initiate an audit to evaluate the Army’s coordination with the FAA, pilot training, and qualification standards, and the Army’s use of ADS–B Out and whether it adheres to Army policy, regulation, and law.

(b) Assessment. In conducting the audit required by subsection (a), the Inspector General of the Army shall assess practices and recommendations for the Army, including—

(1) whether Army policy and United States law was adhered to, and the Army’s coordination with the FAA, during National Capital Region (NCR) operations of pilot training and qualifications standards in the NCR;

(2) the Army’s policy on ADS–B Out equipage, usage, and activation;

(3) maintenance protocols for UH–60 Black Hawk helicopters operated by the 12th Army Aviation Brigade including, but not limited to, the calibration of any system that transmits altitude and position information outside the aircraft and the calibration of systems that send altitude and position information to the pilots inside the aircraft, and the frequency with which such maintenance protocols occur;

(4) compliance with the September 29, 2021, Letter of Agreement executed between the Pentagon Heliport Air Traffic Control Tower and the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Air Traffic Control Tower regarding flight operations in the NCR; and

(5) the Army’s review of loss of separation incidents involving its rotorcraft in the NCR along with possible mitigations to prevent future mishaps.

(c) Public disclosure. Not later than 14 days after the audit required by subsection (a) is concluded, the Secretary of the Army shall—

(1) transmit a report on the results of the audit, without redactions, to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and

(2) publicly release the report without redactions, except to the extent required for national security reasons.

(d) Interim reporting. Not later than 180 days after initiating the audit required by subsection (a), and every 180 days thereafter until such audit is concluded, the Inspector General of the Army shall brief the committees of Congress described in subsection (c)(1) regarding the progress of such audit.