U.S. House Blocks Bill Mandating ADS-B In Systems

The US House of Representatives has failed to pass legislation that would have required all aircraft operating around busy airports to install enhanced locator technology recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The bill, known as the ROTOR Act, was introduced following last year’s fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C., in which 67 people were killed when an American Airlines jet collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter.

The Senate had already approved the measure in Dec. 2025, which would have mandated installation of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In (ADS-B In) systems. While ADS-B Out — which broadcasts an aircraft’s position — is already required, ADS-B In allows pilots to receive real-time data on nearby traffic, significantly improving situational awareness.

After the Pentagon’s support of the ROTOR Act last year, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on Monday Feb. 23 that the bill could create “unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks,” though he did not specify what they are.

Under a fast-track procedure used in the House, the bill required a two-thirds majority to pass. It received 264 votes but fell short as 133 lawmakers opposed it.

Families of the victims of the collision strongly supported the measure, arguing that ADS-B In technology could have prevented the tragedy. However, industry stakeholders, including Airlines for America, military representatives, and general aviation groups, backed a separate House proposal that takes a broader approach to aviation safety reform.

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves said lawmakers will continue working with families and the Senate to address safety gaps identified after the crash. The House version would direct the Federal Aviation Administration to study and determine the most appropriate technology before issuing a mandate, rather than immediately requiring ADS-B In.

Cost concerns have been central to the debate. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy testified that American Airlines equipped more than 300 Airbus A321 aircraft with ADS-B In at roughly $50,000 per aircraft. General aviation pilots can also use portable receivers costing about $400 that connect to tablet devices.

The NTSB has recommended broader deployment of ADS-B In since 2008, arguing that it provides clearer, more detailed collision warnings compared to existing traffic advisory systems. Investigators concluded that ADS-B In could have offered earlier and more precise alerts to the pilots involved in last January’s accident.

Senate sponsors of the ROTOR Act, including Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, described the measure as an important first step toward improving airspace safety. For now, however, mandatory installation of ADS-B In remains uncertain as lawmakers debate the best path forward for aviation collision prevention.

“Only the ROTOR Act ensures that all airplanes and helicopters flying in U.S. airspace play by the same set of rules,” Cruz said in a statement after the vote. “Today’s result was just a temporary delay. We will succeed, and [the] ROTOR Act will become the law of the land. The families and the flying public deserve nothing less.”

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, pbs.org