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119th Congress Transportation and Public Works

S. 2503: ROTOR Act

Passed SenateDec 17, 2025

  1. Introduced (completed)Jul 29, 2025
  2. Passed Senate (completed)Dec 17, 2025
  3. Passed House (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Passed Senate, Dec 17, 2025

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.

Read the full summary

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.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Key votes

House final vote, Feb 24, 2026

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Failed 264–133

Yea 264two-thirds 265Nay 133

  • Democrats187 yea, 1 nay
  • Republicans77 yea, 131 nay
  • Independents0 yea, 1 nay

Broke with their party: Tony Wied (R-WI), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Steve Womack (R-AR), Matt Van Epps (R-TN), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), David Valadao (R-CA), William Timmons (R-SC) and Thomas Tiffany (R-WI) voted Yea; and 68 more

See how all 397 members voted

Showing 432 of 432 members

Yea 264

Republicans (77) broke with their party

Democrats (187)

Nay 133

Republicans (131)

Democrats (1) broke with their party

Independents (1)

Not voting 35

Senate

Passed by unanimous consent

Dec 17, 2025

No recorded vote, so there is no member-by-member tally.

Roll calls

1 vote on this bill

Showing 1 of 1 roll calls

  • Feb 24, 2026HouseOn Motion to Suspend the Rules and PassFinal passageFailed, yea-nay 264–133
    Roll call 72 tally by party
    PartyYeaNayPresentNot voting
    Democrats1871026
    Republicans7713109
    Independents0100
    Total264133035

    House roll call 72: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass. Failed.

    78 crossed party lines: 1 Democrat, 77 Republicans

    How each member voted (432)

Amendments

1 offered

Showing 1 of 1 amendments

  • S.Amdt. 4070Ted Cruz R-TXAgreedDec 17, 2025Dec 17, 2025: Amendment SA 4070 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

Cosponsors

21

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

630 points earned
  1. 1Ted Cruz R-TX SponsorIntroduced, drew cross-party cosponsors, reported, passed Senate; 1 amendment offered, 1 agreed6 events+78
  2. 2Jodey Arrington R-TX1 maverick vote1 event+6
  3. 2Brian Babin R-TX1 maverick vote1 event+6
  4. 2Garland Barr R-KY1 maverick vote1 event+6
  5. 2Tom Barrett R-MI1 maverick vote1 event+6
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Ted Cruz

History

  1. Dec 17, 2025Passed the Senate with an amendment by unanimous consent.
  2. Jul 29, 2025Introduced in the Senate by Ted Cruz.
Show the full action history (19 actions)
  1. Feb 24, 2026Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2277)
  2. 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).
  3. Feb 24, 2026On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 264 - 133 (Roll no. 72).
  4. Feb 23, 2026Mr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  5. Feb 23, 2026Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2248-2257)
  6. Feb 23, 2026DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2503.
  7. Feb 23, 2026At 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.
  8. Dec 18, 2025Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  9. Dec 18, 2025Received in the House.
  10. Dec 18, 2025Held at the desk.
  11. Dec 17, 2025Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S8811-8817)
  12. Dec 17, 2025The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
  13. Dec 17, 2025Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  14. Dec 17, 2025Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S8813-8817)
  15. Nov 18, 2025Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  16. Nov 18, 2025Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 269.
  17. Oct 21, 2025Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  18. Jul 29, 2025Introduced in Senate
  19. Jul 29, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.