Congress·In Committee·S. 3257

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.

Also known as: Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025

4 months ago·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

This bill requires the FAA to update its rules to encourage pilots and air traffic controllers to seek help for mental health issues. Currently, many aviation workers fear they will lose their licenses or be grounded if they admit to having a condition like depression or anxiety.
The FAA would be required to review which medications and treatments are safe for aviation workers to use. This change aims to allow more people to stay on the job or return to work sooner while receiving the medical care they need.
The government would provide up to $15 million each year through 2029 to hire more medical experts and clear the backlog of mental health reviews. This is intended to speed up the process for workers waiting for the FAA to clear them for duty.
A new $1.5 million annual public awareness campaign would be launched to remove the shame around mental health in the aviation industry. The goal is to build trust between workers and the FAA so that people feel safe reporting their concerns without fear of being punished.

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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Nov 20, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Nov 20, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

180 days after enactment

FAA must begin implementing mental health report recommendations and start annual reviews of the special issuance process

Aviation workers waiting for mental health clearances could start seeing faster processing times and updated rules about which medications are allowed

2 years after enactment

FAA must finalize updated mental health regulations and implement rulemaking committee recommendations

Pilots and air traffic controllers would have clearer, more supportive rules for disclosing mental health conditions and staying on the job while receiving treatment

Fiscal year 2026

Up to $15 million per year begins flowing to hire more aviation medical examiners and clear the backlog of mental health reviews

Workers who have been waiting months or longer for the FAA to review their mental health cases could see faster decisions, getting them back to work sooner

Related News

3 articles

Plane + Pilot Magazine·4 months ago

Mental Health Reform Bill Sees Senate Introduction

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.

C+

AVweb·4 months ago

Mental Health in Aviation Act Introduced in Senate

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.

FLYING Magazine·7 months ago

Mental Health in Aviation Act Clears U.S. House

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.