The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) commended the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for advancing the Mental Health in Aviation Act (H.R.2591) introduced in April by Reps. Sean Casten (D-Illinois) and Pete Stauber (R-Minnesota). The legislation requires the FAA to revise regulations to better serve pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aviation workers who disclose mental health diagnoses or conditions.
This act “represents a crucial step forward in improving aviation safety and maintaining a healthy work environment for pilots, and we appreciate Reps. Casten and Stauber for their bipartisan leadership,” said ALPA president Jason Ambrosi. “By implementing the Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee’s recommendations, improving the special issuance process, and providing resources for additional aviation medical examiners, this bill acknowledges that a pilot’s psychological well-being is just as important as their physical health.”
Current regulations create a “punitive culture that forces pilots and controllers to risk their livelihoods by seeking professional help,” said ALPA. “This outdated approach not only harms individual aviators but undermines the very safety standards U.S. aviation is built upon.”
H.R.2591 will “help destigmatize mental health issues in aviation and advance aviation safety by improving the FAA’s medical review system and encouraging more pilots and controllers to seek care when needed,” it concluded.