The US Senate has passed the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act in response to a fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January 2025. The legislation aims to eliminate exemptions for certain government aircraft operating without ADS-B Out, increasing situational awareness for pilots and air traffic controllers.
A second near midair collision involving a US Air Force aerial refueling tanker was reported near Venezuelan airspace on December 13, 2025. The incident occurred when a Falcon 900EX business jet flying from Aruba to Miami encountered the tanker without an active transponder.
The Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jennifer Homendy, has expressed her opposition to proposed legislation that would reduce safety in the skies over Washington DC. The NTSB is concerned about the potential risks of military aircraft operating without ADS-B technology, which provides an aircraft's location to air traffic control and other aircraft pilots.