A bill aimed at addressing mental health challenges in the aviation community has cleared the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025, introduced by Representatives Sean Casten of Illinois and Pete Stauber of Minnesota, was passed by a voice vote on Monday. It will now head to the U.S. Senate.
“Aviators should not be unfairly penalized for seeking mental healthcare,” Casten said in a statement. “The current system perpetuates a culture of silence, and it’s past time that changes.”
The act would require the FAA to revise its regulations to encourage aviation workers to voluntarily disclose a mental health diagnosis or condition. The agency would have to consult with collective bargaining representatives for pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCs), as well as medical professionals, while developing the new rules.
The bill allocates $13.7 million per year through 2029 to recruit and train more aviation medical examiners, including psychiatrists.
Other provisions would institute an annual review process to study and approve new mental health treatments and medications for pilots and ATCs and implement recommendations made by the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee last year.
The legislation follows years of complaints from pilots that disclosing a mental health problem or seeking treatment for it could derail their career.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents about 80,000 pilots in the U.S. and Canada, praised the bill’s passage on Monday.
“The Mental Health in Aviation Act represents a crucial step forward to improving aviation safety and maintaining a healthy work environment for pilots, and we greatly appreciate [Representatives] Casten and Stauber for their bipartisan leadership on this important issue,” said ALPA president Jason Ambrosi in a news release. “By implementing the Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee’s consensus 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.”
The union said it is prepared to work with Congress, the FAA, and other parties to support the act’s chances in the Senate.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) have also endorsed the bill.
“We are encouraged to see continued progress on this important legislation combating the stigma and misinformation surrounding mental health concerns among our nation’s pilot community,” NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said in a statement Tuesday. “It is vital that we foster an environment where pilots can seek help without fear of professional repercussions while also enhancing the safety of the traveling public.”
