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U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. praised the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Tuesday for advancing the ROTOR Act, a bill designed to close oversight gaps in aviation safety. The legislation follows the January 29, 2025, midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342, which departed from Wichita and claimed 67 lives.

The ROTOR Act seeks to improve coordination, transparency, and operational safeguards across U.S. airspace to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Marshall joined other law makers at a conference introducing the bill. He also led a Senate resolution honoring the victims of the crash.

The legislation follows broader federal efforts to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system through the recently passed One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which allocates $12 billion toward long-overdue upgrades. The Trump administration is also accelerating training and recruitment programs to address ongoing air traffic controller shortages.