House Committee Chairs Revolt Over Johnson’s ROTOR Act Deal
House committee leaders are privately angry with Speaker Mike Johnson over his decision to move forward with a Senate-passed aviation safety bill, reopening internal tensions inside the GOP conference.
According to Politico, Johnson plans a Monday evening vote on the bipartisan ROTOR Act, legislation responding to the January 2025 mass-fatality air crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people.
The Senate passed the measure unanimously last year, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has gathered support for House action in recent weeks.
Johnson previously promised Cruz a vote during negotiations aimed at avoiding a government shutdown, Politico reported.
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But House Transportation Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) unveiled their own disaster-response legislation last week.
Three people familiar with the matter told Politico the chairs are frustrated that Johnson cleared the Senate bill before the House could consider their proposal.
One source said the move sends “a terrible signal that team players are taken for granted while agitators get what they want through threats.”
The disagreement places Johnson in a difficult position as he manages a razor-thin Republican majority.
Graves and Rogers are veteran lawmakers who typically keep low public profiles despite leading powerful committees, making their private frustration notable.
The vote also comes before a final National Transportation Safety Board report on the crash has been released, adding another layer of concern among some lawmakers.
The House vote is expected Monday evening, and the outcome could shape how future bipartisan Senate bills move through Johnson’s chamber.
For now, the dispute underscores the delicate balance between shutdown politics and policy priorities in the Republican-led House.
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