The U.S. House of Representatives is turning its attention to the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (Alert) Act of 2026 (H.R. 7613) after a Senate aviation safety bill, the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (Rotor) Act, failed to garner enough votes on Tuesday. After it passed the Senate in December, the Rotor Act (S.2503) was brought to the House floor under suspension of the rules, apparently through an agreement between Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and House speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). This meant it was not open to amendment, and it required two-thirds approval. However, the act failed with 264 votes in favor.
Both the Rotor Act and Alert Act are designed to address safety issues surrounding the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision between a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed all 67 aboard. While they both have received support from many industry groups, there are some key differences between the two, notably the Rotor Act’s mandate for ADS-B In for all aircraft.
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