[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3257 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 558
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3257
[Report No. 119-139]
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 20, 2025
Mr. Hoeven (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Durbin, Mrs.
Fischer, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Curtis,
Mr. Reed, Mr. Moran, Mr. Kim, Mr. Risch, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Moreno, Mr.
Heinrich, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Warnock, Mrs.
Hyde-Smith, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Crapo, Mr.
Coons, Mr. Daines, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Cassidy, and Ms. Slotkin) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
September 14, 2026
Reported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Mental Health in Aviation
Act of 2025''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator''
means the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal
Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Special issuance.--The term ``special
issuance'' has the meaning given such term in section 67.401 of
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. REGULATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS CARRYING OUT AVIATION
ACTIVITIES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall update regulations,
including in part 67 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and
issue relevant guidance as appropriate to encourage individuals to--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) seek help for mental health conditions or
symptoms of mental health conditions; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) to disclose conditions or symptoms described
in paragraph (1).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Consultation; Report Requirements.--Section 411(d) of
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note) is amended--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (4)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by
striking ``and'' at the end;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the
period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraphs:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) a review and evaluation of any
recommendations reached by the National Transportation
Safety Board related to aviation workforce mental
health; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(E) a description of relevant clinical
studies, research, diagnostic manuals, and protocols
used by the licensed professionals as of the date of
the enactment of this subparagraph.''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) Consultation.--In carrying out this
subsection, the task group shall consult with relevant
stakeholders from the aviation and medical communities, as
necessary, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) the exclusive bargaining
representatives of air traffic controllers of the FAA
certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States
Code;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) organizations representing
collective bargaining representatives of airline
pilots;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) institutions of higher education
that are accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board
International; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) any other stakeholder determined
relevant by the task group, including any stakeholders
described in paragraph (3)(B).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Implementation.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, and for any report issued
thereafter, not later than 180 days after the submission of
each report required under section 411(f) of the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2024 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note), the
Administrator shall take appropriate action to implement the
recommendations of such report.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Justification.--In the event that the
Administrator decides not to implement a recommendation
described in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress the justification for
such decision not later than 90 days after receiving the report
containing such recommendation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL ISSUANCE
PROCESS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the
Administrator submits the first report pursuant to section 411(f) of
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note), and
annually thereafter, the Administrator shall conduct an annual review
of the special issuance process, and update, as appropriate, the
applicable regulations, policies, orders, and guidance on mental
health-related special issuance for pilots and air traffic controllers
to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) consider the reclassification of additional
medications and evidence-based treatments that may be safely
prescribed to treat mental health conditions;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) improve mental health knowledge and training
for aviation medical examiners;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) if the Administrator determines appropriate,
expand mental-health related situations in which an aviation
medical examiner may issue a certificate consistent with the
recommendations of the Mental Health and Aviation Medical
Clearances Rulemaking Committee described in section 6;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) improve the special issuance process for
pilots and air traffic controllers.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. IMPROVING CAPACITY FOR THE OFFICE OF AEROSPACE
MEDICINE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Of the amounts made available pursuant to section
106(k)(1) of title 49, United States Code, the Administrator shall
designate not more than $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026
through 2029 to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) recruit, select, and train additional aviation
medical examiners and human intervention motivation study
aviation medical examiners, including those who are
psychiatrists;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) expand capacity to provide oversight of
aviation medical examiners and clear the backlog of special
issuance requests and cases awaiting review at the Office of
Aerospace Medicine of the FAA;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) provide enhanced mental health training to
aviation medical examiners to ensure such personnel have
requisite knowledge and the ability to appropriately evaluate
individuals for FAA medical certification; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) support any other related activities, as
determined appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall implement, as
appropriate, the recommendations of the Mental Health and Aviation
Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which were submitted
to the Administrator on April 1, 2024.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Administrator shall consult with the stakeholders described in section
411(d)(5) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (as added by this
Act).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Justification.--If the Administrator decides not to
implement a recommendation described in subsection (a), the
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress
the justification for such decision not later than 90 days after the
deadline described in such subsection.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 7. PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Of the amounts made available pursuant to
section 106(k)(1) of title 49, United States Code, the Administrator
shall designate not more than $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2026
through 2029 for a public information campaign or similar public
education efforts to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) destigmatize individuals in (or interested in
joining) the aviation industry who seek mental health
care;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) broaden awareness of available supportive
services; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) improve trust between the FAA and pilots and
air traffic controllers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Requirements.--The public information campaign or
similar public education efforts described in subsection (a) shall
include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) making publicly available (in an easily
accessible format and location online)--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) information that would help
destigmatize the reporting of mental health concerns
impacting the aviation workforce, and encourage
individuals to seek help for such concerns;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) other information to effectuate the
outcomes described in subsection (a);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) posting the information described in paragraph
(1) at Aviation Medical Examiner offices; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) collaborating with air carriers (as defined in
section 40102 of title 49, United States Code), flight training
institutions and entities (as described in parts 61 and 141 of
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations), and small, medium, and
large hub airports (as defined in such section 40102) to
encourage such entities to make such information easily
accessible to airmen and air traffic controllers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Briefing and Report to Congress.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the
Administrator establishes the public information campaign
described in subsection (a), the Administrator shall brief the
appropriate committees of Congress on the actions taken to
develop the campaign and the plans to implement the
campaign.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the
Administrator implements the public information campaign, the
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report describing the engagement and outreach
resulting from such campaign, including a description of any
applicable feedback from aviation industry stakeholders on the
efficacy of the campaign.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``John A. Hauser Mental Health in
Aviation Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate.
(3) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal Aviation
Administration.
(4) Special issuance.--The term ``special issuance'' has
the meaning given such term in section 67.401 of title 14, Code
of Federal Regulations.
SEC. 3. REGULATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS CARRYING OUT AVIATION ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall update regulations,
including in part 67 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and
issue relevant guidance as appropriate to encourage individuals to--
(1) seek help for mental health conditions or symptoms of
mental health conditions; and
(2) to disclose conditions or symptoms described in
paragraph (1).
(b) Solicit Feedback; Report Requirements.--Section 411(d) of the
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) soliciting feedback from aviation industry
professionals or other licensed professionals
representing air carrier operations under part 121 and
part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and
general aviation operations under part 91 of title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations, the exclusive bargaining
representatives of air traffic controllers of the FAA
certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States
Code, organizations representing collective bargaining
representatives of airline pilots, institutions of
higher education that are accredited by the Aviation
Accreditation Board International, and professional
pilot flight training schools certificated under part
141 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;''; and
(2) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at
the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraphs:
``(D) a review and evaluation of any
recommendations reached by the National Transportation
Safety Board related to aviation workforce mental
health; and
``(E) a description of relevant clinical studies,
research, diagnostic manuals, and protocols relied upon
by the task group in developing their
recommendations.''.
(c) Implementation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and for any report issued thereafter,
not later than 180 days after the submission of each report
required under section 411(f) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of
2024 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note), the Administrator may take action,
as appropriate, to implement the recommendations of such
report.
(2) Justification.--In the event that the Administrator
decides not to implement a recommendation described in
paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress the justification for such
decision not later than 90 days after receiving the report
containing such recommendation.
SEC. 4. REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL ISSUANCE PROCESS.
Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the Administrator
submits the first report pursuant to section 411(f) of the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2024 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note), and annually for
the 1st 2 years thereafter, and triennially thereafter, the
Administrator shall conduct a review of the special issuance process,
and update, as appropriate, the applicable regulations, policies,
orders, and guidance on mental health-related special issuance for
pilots and air traffic controllers to--
(1) consider the reclassification of additional medications
and evidence-based treatments that may be safely prescribed to
treat mental health conditions;
(2) provide enhanced mental health knowledge and training
for aviation medical examiners, consistent with the
recommendations of the Mental Health & Aviation Medical
Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee described in section
6;
(3) if the Administrator determines appropriate, consider
expanding opportunities in which an aviation medical examiner
may issue a certificate consistent with the recommendations of
the Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation
Rulemaking Committee described in section 6, provided that such
examiner has completed enhanced mental health training, as
described in paragraph (2), to ensure such personnel have the
requisite knowledge and ability to appropriately evaluate
individuals for FAA medical certification; and
(4) improve the special issuance process for pilots and air
traffic controllers.
SEC. 5. IMPROVING CAPACITY FOR THE OFFICE OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE.
Of the amounts made available pursuant to section 106(k)(1) of
title 49, United States Code, the Administrator shall designate not
more than $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to--
(1) recruit, select, and train additional aviation medical
examiners and human intervention motivation study aviation
medical examiners, including those who are psychiatrists;
(2) expand capacity to provide oversight of aviation
medical examiners and clear the backlog of special issuance
requests and cases awaiting review at the Office of Aerospace
Medicine of the FAA;
(3) provide enhanced mental health training to aviation
medical examiners to ensure such personnel have requisite
knowledge and the ability to appropriately evaluate individuals
for FAA medical certification; and
(4) support any other related activities, as determined
appropriate by the Administrator.
SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Administrator shall implement, as appropriate, the
recommendations of the Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances
Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which were submitted to the
Administrator on April 1, 2024 (in this section referred to as the
``ARC'').
(b) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Administrator shall consult with the stakeholders described in section
411(d)(3)(B) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (as amended by this
Act).
(c) Validation.--With respect to recommendation 6 of the ARC, the
Administrator shall leverage and cite relevant clinical studies,
research, diagnostic manuals, and protocols to inform the
recommendation, as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator
may, as appropriate, commission any such studies that may be needed to
fill data gaps. Any such studies shall document the data gap and be
completed not later than 1 year after the enactment of this Act.
(d) Justification.--If the Administrator decides not to implement a
recommendation described in the ARC, the Administrator shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress their justification for such
decision not later than 90 days after the deadline described in such
subsection.
SEC. 7. PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN.
(a) In General.--For fiscal years 2026 through 2028, the
Administrator shall carry out a public information campaign or similar
public education efforts to--
(1) destigmatize individuals in (or interested in joining)
the aviation industry who seek mental health care;
(2) broaden awareness of available supportive services; and
(3) improve trust between the FAA and pilots and air
traffic controllers.
(b) Requirements.--The public information campaign or similar
public education efforts described in subsection (a) shall include--
(1) making publicly available (in an easily accessible
format and location online)--
(A) information that would help destigmatize the
reporting of mental health concerns impacting the
aviation workforce, and encourage individuals to seek
help for such concerns; and
(B) other information to effectuate the outcomes
described in subsection (a);
(2) posting the information described in paragraph (1) at
Aviation Medical Examiner offices; and
(3) collaborating with air carriers (as defined in section
40102 of title 49, United States Code), flight training
institutions and entities (as described in parts 61 and 141 of
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations), and small, medium, and
large hub airports (as defined in such section 40102) to
encourage such entities to make such information easily
accessible to airmen and air traffic controllers.
(c) Briefing and Report to Congress.--
(1) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the
Administrator establishes the public information campaign
described in subsection (a), the Administrator shall brief the
appropriate committees of Congress on the actions taken to
develop the campaign and the plans to implement the campaign.
(2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the Administrator
implements the public information campaign, the Administrator
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report
describing the engagement and outreach resulting from such
campaign, including a description of any applicable feedback
from aviation industry stakeholders on the efficacy of the
campaign.
Calendar No. 558
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3257
[Report No. 119-139]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 14, 2026
Reported with an amendment