Congress Proposes New Rules to Help Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers Get Mental Health Care Without Losing Jobs
A bill to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to revise regulations for certain individuals carrying out aviation activities who disclose a mental health diagnosis or condition, and for other purposes.
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
The bill specifically includes air traffic controller unions and airline pilot collective bargaining representatives as stakeholders who must be consulted in developing new mental health policies. This gives unions a direct seat at the table in shaping how mental health care is handled in aviation, ensuring worker perspectives are included in rule changes.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Senators John Hoeven and Tammy Duckworth introduced the Mental Health in Aviation Act to reform FAA regulations, allocating $15 million annually through 2029 for medical examiner expansion and $1.5 million for a public campaign to destigmatize mental healthcare.
The bipartisan legislation is designed to update the FAA's approach to mental health and medical certification for pilots and air traffic controllers. Key provisions include requiring the FAA to update medical guidance and allocate significant annual funding for mental health specialists.
The act would require the FAA to revise its regulations to encourage aviation workers to voluntarily disclose a mental health diagnosis. It allocates funding through 2029 to recruit and train more aviation medical examiners, including psychiatrists.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
A bill to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to revise regulations for certain individuals carrying out aviation activities who disclose a mental health diagnosis or condition, and for other purposes.
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