In the nature of a substitute.

This amendment proposes the John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act to the bill S. 3257. Its main purpose is to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to update regulations and guidance so that individuals in the aviation industry are encouraged to seek help for mental health conditions and disclose those symptoms without fear.

To make this happen, the amendment changes or adds several key rules for the Federal Aviation Administration:

• Updates regulations to encourage aviation workers to seek help and disclose mental health conditions.
• Adjusts who the Federal Aviation Administration must solicit feedback from, adding groups like aviation industry professionals, air traffic controller bargaining representatives, airline pilot representatives, higher education institutions, and flight training schools.
• Adds requirements to review National Transportation Safety Board recommendations and clinical studies when handling workforce mental health.
• Gives the Administrator deadlines to implement report recommendations, and forces them to explain to Congress if they choose not to follow a recommendation.
• Requires regular reviews of the mental health special issuance process for pilots and air traffic controllers, including looking at safer medication options and better training for medical examiners.
• Authorizes up to $15 million for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to hire and train more aviation medical examiners, clear review backlogs at the Office of Aerospace Medicine, and provide mental health training.
• Sets a two-year deadline for the Administrator to implement recommendations from the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
• Creates a public information campaign for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to destigmatize mental health care, build trust, and share supportive resources online and at medical examiner offices.