WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber to help promote mental health among pilots and air traffic controllers.
The bipartisan
Mental Health in Aviation Act,
introduced by Stauber, a Republican from Hermantown, and U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., passed the chamber in a voice vote Monday.
In a joint news release, the lawmakers said the bill is designed to make it easier for pilots and air traffic controllers to seek mental health care without fear of harsh penalties.
“Unfortunately, current Federal Aviation Administration regulations prevent aviation professionals from seeking mental health care by imposing unfair penalties on those who do,” Stauber said in the news release. “This creates a dangerous culture of silence and stigma. The Mental Health in Aviation Act will break down these barriers and support the mental health of our aviation workforce.”
Casten is the bill’s sponsor, while Stauber is its first cosponsor.
The bill would require the FAA to revise its regulations on voluntary mental health disclosures and treatment and implement the agency’s
on mental health within two years.
From 2026 to 2028, the bill would put $13.7 million annually toward recruiting and training additional aviation medical examiners, including psychiatrists, and $1.5 million for “a public information campaign or similar public education efforts to destigmatize individuals in (or interested in joining) the aviation industry who seek mental health care, to broaden awareness of available supportive services, and establish trust with pilots and air traffic controllers,” according to the bill text.
“Aviators should not be unfairly penalized for seeking mental health care,” Casten said in the news release. “The current system perpetuates a culture of silence, and it’s past time that changes.”
The bill has the backing of several aviation business groups and unions representing workers in aviation.
In June, the bill passed the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
That prompted Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder last month to, at least partially, credit the second season of his HBO show “The Rehearsal,” which focuses on aviation safety and pilot communication, with its advancement.
During a panel at the
Writers Guild Foundation’s Sublime Primetime,
Fielder said he heard the show helped push the bill forward thanks to young staffers who “make all the decisions” on Capitol Hill.
The news site Deadline, which moderated the panel, ran with it, and
as “ ‘The Rehearsal’ May Have Actually Helped Find A Solution To Pilot’s Mental Health Issues, After All.”
But it might be an overstatement.
“I think timing around all of this is more of a happy coincidence than anything,” said Kelsey Emmer, a spokesperson for Stauber’s office.
She said that while the second season of “The Rehearsal” brought attention to mental health in aviation, the bill had been building support for some time.
“I would say the real driving force behind it has been a combination of the stories we have heard from Americans who work in aviation and the strong support we have received from national pilots and aviation organizations,” Emmer said.
Jimmy Lovrien covers environment-related issues, including mining, energy and climate, for the Duluth News Tribune. He can be reached at jlovrien@duluthnews.com or 218-723-5332.