S 3257 — Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025

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.

This Act may be cited as the ``Mental``John HealthA. in Aviation Act of 2025''.

Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act''.

and (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;Senate.

(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

and (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

(a) In General.--Not later than 218 yearsmonths 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;

(b) Consultation;Solicit Feedback;

44703 note) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (4)--(3), (A)by instriking subparagraphssubparagraph (A)(B) and (B),inserting by striking ``and'' at the end;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 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;'';

and (2) in paragraph (4)-- (A) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;

and ``(E) a description of relevant clinical studies, research, diagnostic manuals, and protocols usedrelied upon by the licensedtask professionalsgroup asin ofdeveloping thetheir daterecommendations.''. of the enactment of this subparagraph.'';

and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

``(5) Consultation.--In carrying out this subsection, the task group shall consult with relevant stakeholders from the aviation and medical communities, as necessary, including-- ``(A) the exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers of the FAA certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code;

``(B) organizations representing collective bargaining representatives of airline pilots;

``(C) institutions of higher education that are accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International;

and ``(D) any other stakeholder determined relevant by the task group, including any stakeholders described in paragraph (3)(B).''.

44703 note), the Administrator shallmay take appropriateaction, actionas appropriate, to implement the recommendations of such report.

ANNUAL REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL ISSUANCE PROCESS.

44703 note), and annually for the 1st 2 years thereafter, and triennially thereafter, the Administrator shall conduct ana 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-- (1) consider the reclassification of additional medications and evidence-based treatments that may be safely prescribed to treat mental health conditions;

(2) improveprovide enhanced mental health knowledge and training for aviation medical examiners;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, expandconsider mental-healthexpanding relatedopportunities situations in which an aviation medical examiner may issue a certificate consistent with the recommendations of the Mental Health and& Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee described in section 6;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;

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 20292028 to-- (1) recruit, select, and train additional aviation medical examiners and human intervention motivation study aviation medical examiners, including those who are psychiatrists;

(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, 2024.2024 (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)(5)411(d)(3)(B) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (as addedamended by this Act).

(c) Justification.--IfValidation.--With therespect Administrator decides not to implement a recommendation described6 inof subsectionthe (a),ARC, the Administrator shall submitleverage toand thecite appropriaterelevant committeesclinical ofstudies, Congressresearch, thediagnostic justificationmanuals, forand suchprotocols decisionto notinform laterthe thanrecommendation, 90as daysdetermined afterby the deadlineAdministrator. described in such subsection.

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.

(a) In General.--OfGeneral.--For thefiscal amountsyears made2026 availablethrough pursuant2028, to section 106(k)(1) of title 49, United States Code, the Administrator shall designatecarry notout more than $1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 for 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;

<all>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