FAA would update mental health rules for pilots and controllers
Officially: Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025
Pilots and air traffic controllers could get clearer mental health rules and a simpler path to report care and return to work. The FAA would have to update its rules, review its approval process every year, add staff, and run a public education campaign.
Where it stands
Sitting in Commerce
No vote scheduled. Constituent contact is what moves bills out of committee.
- The FAA would have to rewrite its medical certification rules within two years. That includes Part 67, the main federal rulebook for pilot medical standards, and the changes must encourage people to get mental health care and report it.
- An existing FAA mental health task group would get a bigger job. It would have to review National Transportation Safety Board recommendations on mental health in the aviation workforce and list the studies, research, and diagnostic tools now being used.
- The task group would have to get input from the people most affected. That includes air traffic controller unions, pilot groups, accredited aviation colleges, and other relevant groups.
↓ Why your message matters here
This bill is sitting in committee with no scheduled vote — which means a small number of constituent messages can decide whether it moves forward or quietly dies.
The debate
What people are saying about this bill
- Pilots and air traffic controllers may be more willing to get mental health care. The bill tells them treatment and honest reporting should be supported, not just punished.
- FAA rules could better match current medicine. Yearly reviews of the special issuance process and possible approval of more medicines and treatments could help update old standards.
- Medical decisions could move faster. More money for the Office of Aerospace Medicine may cut backlogs and reduce long periods of uncertainty for workers and employers.
- Looser rules could create safety risks if the FAA is not careful. Expanding approved medicines or changing medical standards may worry people who want stricter limits.
- Money for these programs would come out of existing FAA funds. That could leave less money for other aviation needs because the bill does not add a new pot of funding.
- Yearly reviews and repeated rule changes could make the system harder to follow. The extra work could also add strain for the FAA, medical examiners, and aviation workers.
Where this bill is in the process
Legislative timeline
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Senate Committee
Under Senate committee consideration
Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (11/20/2025)
Senate Floor Vote
Voted on by Senate
Passed Senate
Approved by Senate
House Review
Sent to House for consideration
Passed Both Chambers
Approved by both House and Senate
Signed into Law
Signed by the President
For more detail