NBAA Welcomes Pair of U.S. Senate Aeromedical Bills

NBAA has voiced support for two bipartisan bills introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) and Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) to support aviation professionals seeking mental health care. The Aviation Medication Transparency Act, introduced earlier this year by the House of Representatives, stands to improve medication guidance for pilots and air traffic controllers. The Mental Health in Aviation Act, already passed by the House, seeks to improve and update the FAA’s medical certification process. 

“NBAA strongly supports the Mental Health in Aviation Act, which aims to address the stigma surrounding mental health in the aviation community,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. He added that pilots, controllers, and others should feel safe seeking help without fear of repercussions.

“The Aviation Medication Transparency Act will establish a streamlined mechanism for pilots, air traffic controllers and others to access vital information about medications that may be safely prescribed,” Bolen said. Greater clarity helps individuals work with their doctors while minimizing effects on certification, he added.

NBAA noted that it has long advocated for improvements in the FAA’s medical policies and represented the business aviation sector on the FAA’s 2023 Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which offered similar recommendations.

The Mental Health in Aviation Act would update mental health guidance for pilots and controllers to encourage early disclosure and treatment. It also calls for an annual review of the FAA’s Special Issuance Medical Certification process and includes funding for additional examiners. The bill allocates $15 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2029 for the FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine and dedicates $1.5 million annually for a public information campaign to reduce stigma around mental health care.

The Aviation Medication Transparency Act would require the FAA to publish, within one year of enactment and updated annually, an accessible list of medications that are safe for pilots, controllers, and trainees. The list would also identify medications designated “can be safely prescribed” and “Do Not Issue,” and include information on whether limited or no duties are required when taking certain drugs.