What Happened
New Legislation Aims To Reduce Stigma And Protect Pilot Careers
The US Senate has unanimously passed a bill aimed at updating the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) mental health rules, in an effort to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues among pilots and air traffic controllers. The bill, named after John A. Hauser, a University of North Dakota aviation student who died in 2021, provides up to $15 million annually to recruit and train more FAA aviation doctors, including psychiatrists. A public campaign will also be launched to inform pilots and controllers about available resources and to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. The legislation was reported by an unknown source.