Bipartisan Casten Pilot Mental Health Bill Passes House Transportation Committee
Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted to approve the Mental Health in Aviation Act, bipartisan legislation introduced and championed by U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Pete Stauber (MN-08).
“Current Federal Aviation Administration regulations perpetuate a culture of silence and unfairly penalize aviators who seek mental health care,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “My bipartisan bill with Rep. Pete Stauber bolsters access to mental health care for pilots and air traffic controllers and requires the FAA to eliminate significant barriers to care. These commonsense changes will help aviators get help if and when they need it. I’m proud to see this legislation advance through the committee.”
“If we don’t change how we handle mental health in aviation, we will exacerbate a culture of silence,” said Rep. Pete Stauber. “We want our pilots and our air traffic controllers to be at the top of their game, and taking care of their mental health is critical to achieving that goal. I am grateful that the Mental Health in Aviation Act passed out of Committee, and I look forward to championing the bill through to the finish line. When we reduce barriers to mental health care, we keep our skies safe for the flying public.”
Currently, pilots and air traffic controllers who seek mental health care are unfairly penalized by a system that perpetuates a culture of silence. While aviation professionals are mandated to report if they seek mental health care, once they take that step, they are faced with delays, confusion, and overbroad regulation in the process of returning to work. This often means that relatively minor mental health concerns result in long wait times and derailed careers for safe and well-trained pilots and air traffic controllers.
In December 2023, the FAA recognized the need to reform its current policies and established the ARC to identify barriers to mental health care for aviators and present recommendations to the FAA to address these challenges. The ARC coalesced around a list of 24 recommendations to eliminate some of the main barriers to care.
The Mental Health in Aviation Act requires the FAA to take the following steps:
Regulations for Individuals Carrying Out Aviation Activities
- To the extent practicable and in consultation with stakeholders, implement the recommendations of the ARC within two years. Provide explanation to Congress if the FAA chooses not to implement any recommendation.
- Report to Congress on its plans to implement recommendations to improve pilot mental health care from the National Transportation Safety Board, and a description of relevant clinical studies, manuals, and other protocols.
Annual Review of Mental Health Special Issuance Process
- Annually review and update process related to mental health-related special issuance for pilots and air traffic controllers to: reclassify and approve the use of additional medications, improve mental health knowledge and training to Aviation Medical Examiners, as appropriate defer additional authority to Aviation Medical Examiners, and improve the special issuance process; and report to congress.
Authorization of Appropriation for Additional Medical Examiners
- Authorizes $13.74 M for each of the next three years to recruit and train additional Aviation Medical Examiners and fund and expand capacity in the Flight Surgeon’s Office.
Public Information Campaign
- Authorizes $1.5M for each of the next three years to destigmatize mental health care among aviators, and make pilots and air traffic controllers aware of available services to help.
- Report to Congress.
Text of the Mental Health in Aviation Act can be found here.
Rep. Casten began working on the issue following two different local families approaching him with stories of losing adult children in flight school to suicide. In one particular case, the student pilot lamented how seeking mental health care could ruin his dreams of becoming a pilot.
The legislation is endorsed by the Pilot Mental Health Campaign, Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, National Flight Training Alliance, the National Business Aviation Association, and NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP).
If you or someone you know is struggling, there are resources to help you. Call or text 988 to connect with a trained professional and receive support 24/7.
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