Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, Nov. 20, 2025 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today welcomed the introduction of the Mental Health in Aviation Act and the Aviation Medication Transparency Act, which will improve transparency surrounding medication guidelines and increase access to mental health resources, while reducing the stigma surrounding such needs and protecting the livelihood of controllers and pilots.
Both bills were introduced in the Senate by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Hoeven (R-ND). Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act and introduced the Aviation Medication Transparency Act.
The Mental Health in Aviation Act would:
Modernize mental health guidance regulations for pilots and air traffic controllers to encourage the early disclosure and treatment of mental health conditions.
Annually review the FAA’s Special Issuance Medical Certification process.
Allocate $15 million annually (FY2026–FY2029) to the FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine to expand and train additional medical examiners, including specialists, to improve the efficiency of the FAA’s Special Issuance Medical Certification process.
Allocate $1.5 million annually (FY2026–FY2029) for a public information campaign to help reduce the stigma around mental health care.
“NBAA strongly supports the Mental Health in Aviation Act, which aims to address the stigma surrounding mental health in the aviation community. It’s essential that we foster an environment where pilots, air traffic controllers and others feel safe to seek help without fear of retribution or repercussion,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
NBAA is a longtime advocate of improving the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) approach to mental health and represented business aviation on the 2023 Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which made similar recommendations to the FAA.
Learn more about the Mental Health in Aviation Act.
The Aviation Medication Transparency Act would require the FAA to publish within one year of enactment—and update annually—a comprehensive, user-friendly and accessible list of medications that are safe for pilots, air traffic control specialists and trainees, developed in consultation with various stakeholders. This information is currently available to aviation medical examiners, but not in an easy-to-understand format to pilots and air traffic controllers.
The act also would:
Indicate what, if any, period of time individuals holding an FAA medical certificate must have limited or no duties while taking certain medication.
Indicate a list of medications the FAA has designated as “can be safely prescribed,” and “Do Not Issue.”
Provide information for doctors to contact the FAA should they have any questions.
“The Aviation Medication Transparency Act will establish a streamlined mechanism for pilots, air traffic controllers and others to access vital information about medications that may be safely prescribed,” said Bolen. “Ultimately, this legislation will enhance safety by empowering individuals with essential information to work with their doctors to find treatments that minimize the impact to their certification.”
Learn more about the Aviation Medication Transparency Act.
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 10,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.
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