Senate Committee Advances Aviation Mental Health Bill

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee unanimously approved legislation last week that would require the FAA to revise mental health regulations for pilots and air traffic controllers.

Introduced by Sens. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), the Mental Health in Aviation Act would require the FAA to update regulations encouraging voluntary disclosure of mental health conditions and treatment. Additionally, the bill directs the agency to review the special issuance medical certificate process annually and expand the list of approved medications for treating mental health conditions.

The legislation would include funding to reduce the special issuance backlog and implement recommendations from a 2024 Aviation Rulemaking Committee that examined industry culture and barriers to pilots seeking treatment. That committee issued 24 recommendations in a 164-page report.

Additionally, the bill authorizes the FAA to recruit and train more aviation medical examiners and conduct public education efforts to reduce stigma around mental health care in aviation. “Pilots should not have to worry about being forced out of the flight deck—possibly losing their livelihood—when they should be seeking treatment,” said AOPA senior v-p of government affairs and advocacy Jim Coon.

The House passed pilot mental health legislation in September 2025. AOPA sent a letter to Senate Commerce Chair Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and ranking member Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) in December expressing support for the measure.