WASHINGTON, D.C., February 5, 2026 — Following their success in 2025, and the subsequent introduction of the Mental Health in Aviation Act (MHAA) and Aviation Medication Transparency Act (AMTA) into the House of Representatives, Pilot Mental Health Campaign dedicated this year’s Advocacy Day to drum up support for both bills in the Senate. 

The group of PMHC volunteers — consisting of pilots, air traffic controllers, medical professionals, and loved ones of aviators failed by the current aeromedical system — sat down with legislators on Capitol Hill to discuss how MHAA and AMTA would benefit individual pilots and air traffic controllers, as well as aviation safety at large. 

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy gave opening remarks ahead of the day’s meetings, encouraging PMHC advocates to continue pressing the issue. “I don’t think they have made the progress that we need to see,” Homendy said of the FAA. “You have the opportunity to educate new leadership.”

Supporters shared personal experiences, engaged in meaningful discussions, and relayed the urgency of addressing mental health needs in the aviation industry. Ultimately, volunteers encouraged lawmakers to co-sponsor both pieces of legislation.

“We must act swiftly to pass the Mental Health in Aviation Act and Aviation Medication Transparency Act. Our current system creates a culture of silence around mental health.  That silence increases safety concerns for our national airspace and must be reformed now,” said Chris Finlayson, Pilot Mental Health Campaign’s Executive Director. 

In addition to their meetings with Senators on Wednesday, PMHC leaders were active all week, briefing the White House, Department of Transportation, and House Leadership on how the FAA can effectively enact mental health reform. 

“The Mental Health in Aviation Act is on the precipice of successful passage, and it now requires the full involvement of Congress and the Administration,” Finlayson said. “Pilots and air traffic controllers have demanded these reforms and thanks to the advocacy of volunteers of the Pilot Mental Health Campaign, our elected officials are listening.”

About PMHC

The Pilot Mental Health Campaign is the first and only advocacy organization dedicated exclusively to reforming the broken American aeromedical system and building a safe, effective, and modern system that supports the mental health and wellbeing of American pilots. We are aviators, legal experts, mental health professionals, and loved ones failed by the current system, and we collaborate with industry stakeholders, mental health experts, policymakers, and all who believe mental health affects everybody. For more information, visit pmhc.org.

Read more about the MHAA here.