NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A leading aviation attorney is warning that Congress’ failure to advance the proposed ROTOR Act — legislation aimed at preventing mid-air collisions — leaves millions of airline passengers vulnerable to another tragedy like the deadly 2025 crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The ROTOR Act was introduced following the January 29, 2025 collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., which killed 67 people. According to a recent report by the National Transportation Safety Board, investigators cited heavy air traffic congestion and gaps in training and safety systems as contributing factors in the crash.
The proposed legislation would have required all aircraft operating in shared airspace — including military aircraft near commercial flight paths — to carry advanced tracking technology designed to allow real-time aircraft-to-aircraft communication and dramatically reduce the risk of mid-air collisions.
Although the U.S. Senate passed the bill in December 2025, the measure stalled after the Pentagon withdrew its support on February 23, 2026, citing budgetary concerns and operational security risks. The following day, the House of Representatives failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed to move the bill forward.
Keith Williams, founder of The Keith Williams Law Group, says the decision sends a troubling message about aviation safety priorities.
“This was a targeted, technology-driven solution to a known safety gap,” Williams said. “When 67 people lose their lives in a preventable mid-air collision in some of the most tightly controlled airspace in the country, the response should be swift and decisive. Instead, lawmakers have chosen inaction.”
Williams argues that modern tracking and communication systems are already widely used in commercial aviation and could be implemented without compromising national security.
“The question now is whether we wait for another catastrophic collision before acting,” he said. “Passengers assume that when they board a flight, every reasonable step has been taken to protect them. Right now, Congress has left a critical vulnerability unaddressed.”
Aviation safety advocates warn that shared civilian-military airspace exists near major metropolitan airports across the country, increasing the potential for similar incidents if technological safeguards are not strengthened.
In addition to his practice, Williams is the Past Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Aviation Litigation Section, and he is a member of the Aviation and Space Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Mr. Williams is also a member and past president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.
Williams is available for interviews to discuss the legal, regulatory, and safety implications of Congress’ decision and what it means for the flying public.
For more information, call (615) 444-2900 or visit www.keithwilliamslawgroup.com.
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About Keith Williams Law Group
With two convenient locations, one in downtown Nashville and the other on the historic town square in Lebanon, Keith Williams Law Group can help its clients achieve the maximum possible compensation for their injuries. Its attorneys represent those who have been injured as a result of car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, aviation accidents, highway work zone accidents, defective products, and trucker broker negligence. For more information, call (615) 444-2900 or visit www.keithwilliamslawgroup.com.
