Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2591, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025, a bill that would modernize the Federal Aviation Administration's outdated policies and remove barriers to lifesaving mental health care for the aviation workforce.

As we continue to navigate the aftermath of traffic aviation accidents and harrowing near misses across this country, we must support the mental health of the dedicated women and men on the front lines of ensuring the traveling public reaches their final destination safely every day.

For far too long, many aviation professionals suffer in silence. That silence is because of the fear that disclosing a mental health diagnosis or treatment could derail their careers, possibly ending it.

Many of us in Congress have heard from our constituents about the FAA's difficult aeromedical process. We have spoken to overworked air traffic controllers about the consequence of mounting job pressures. We have seen qualified airline pilots grounded for months, in some cases even years, due to delays with FAA medical clearance reviews.

With the 2024 FAA reauthorization as a blueprint, the Mental Health in Aviation Act will do several things.

It will direct the FAA to annually review and update its mental health-related policies for pilots and air traffic controllers, in consultation with key stakeholders.

It requires the agency to implement recommendations from the aviation workforce mental health task group established under the 2024 FAA reauthorization law.

It will make significant, robust investments in the FAA's recruitment and training of aviation medical examiners, particularly those with mental health expertise.

Finally, this legislation will establish a public information campaign to help destigmatize mental health in U.S. aviation, among other key reforms.

The FAA's mental health protocols must evolve to foster an environment where the aviation workforce feels supported to seek the resources and care that they need, and the Mental Health in Aviation Act will do just that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Casten, Stauber, and Mann for their leadership on this, as well as their staff for their hard work on this important issue.

H.R. 2591 was unanimously approved in the T&I Committee in June, and it is endorsed by several key stakeholders, including U.S. airlines, air traffic controllers and pilot unions, the general aviation and business aviation industries, first responders, and many others.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join us to support H.R. 2591, and I urge the Senate to quickly take up this bill to help provide the resources our aviation workforce desperately needs and deserves.
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Mr. FIGURES. Mr. Speaker, I support the Mental Health in Aviation Act, and I recommend my colleagues do the same. It is an important piece of legislation that will work to better the lives and better the safety of our aerospace professionals.

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