The U.S. Senate has passed a bill designed to facilitate access to mental health care for pilots and air traffic controllers, named in memory of John A. Hauser, a University of North Dakota aviation student who died by suicide in 2021. Senators John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., announced the Senate's approval of the John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act on Thursday. The bipartisan bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
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John A. Hauser was a Chicago native and a vital part of the UND aviation program when he tragically passed away during a training flight in October 2021. Following his death, Hauser's family created the John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Initiative Fund, which has supported initiatives like the UpLift peer support program for aviation students and the annual Aviation Mental Health Symposium.
In a statement, Hauser's parents, Anne Suh and Alan Hauser, expressed their pride in having the bill bear their son's name, noting its potential to help many aviation professionals access necessary mental health care more easily.
The bill aims to address issues within current FAA regulations that require pilots and air traffic controllers to disclose any mental health treatment they have received. This disclosure can lead to extended delays and added scrutiny regarding their medical certifications, compounded by a shortage of psychiatric professionals available for evaluations.
Key provisions of the legislation include:
- An update of mental health-related regulations based on recommendations from an FAA task group created under the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act.
- An allocation of up to $15 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2028 for recruiting and training additional aviation medical examiners, including psychiatrists.
- A public information campaign aimed at reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care in aviation settings and informing pilots and controllers about available support services.
- Implementation of recommendations from the FAA’s Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee, submitted to the agency in April 2024.
In addition to this measure, the Senate passed the Aviation Medication Transparency Act, introduced by Duckworth and co-sponsored by Hoeven. This bill mandates the FAA to create a public, user-friendly list of medications approved for aviation professionals within one year of enactment, with annual updates.
The Hauser Act further builds on initiatives taken in North Dakota, where state lawmakers established the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine at UND in 2025, with $250,000 in funding aimed at providing mental health support and assistance with FAA medical certification.
Both bills passed the Senate by unanimous consent and are now set for consideration in the House.