The ROTOR Act was a bipartisan air safety bill prompted by the January 2024 Reagan National Airport midair collision between an Army helicopter and a commercial airplane over the Potomac River.
The bill failed to pass the House after the Pentagon withdrew its support. Sen. ted-cruz criticized the department-of-war for reversing its stance and issuing what he called an “objectively false” press release attacking the legislation. The ROTOR Act’s failure became a political backdrop during Senate scrutiny of the February 2026 Texas C-UAS incidents. See src-texas-counter-drone-senators-2026-03.