NATCA SUPPORTS Casten and Chavez-DeRemer BIPARTISAN BILL, MENTAL HEALTH IN AVIATION ACT
(WASHINGTON) – Today, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) expressed its thanks to Rep. Sean Casten (Ill.) and Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.) and endorsed the bipartisan Mental Health in Aviation Act. This important legislation requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to update its policies to encourage controllers and other aviation safety professionals to seek help for mental health conditions and symptoms.
“Air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals are sometimes forced to choose between their careers and their mental health. This must change,” said NATCA President Rich Santa. “Rep. Casten and Rep. Chavez-DeRemer have recognized the problem and introduced the bipartisan Mental Health in Aviation Act to address this issue. NATCA commends them both for their leadership,”
The bill would also require the FAA to improve the “Special Issuance” process that allows controllers to stay on the job while taking approved, low-risk prescription medications and would authorize new funding to address the existing backlog of those certifications.
“NATCA urges Congress to pass the Mental Health in Aviation Act,” Santa said. “We will continue working to ensure aviation safety professionals’ careers are not adversely affected when they take steps to ensure they are healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Galen Munroe, Deputy Director of Public Affairs; 202-220-9802, [email protected].
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is a labor union and aviation safety organization in the United States that represents nearly 20,000 highly skilled air traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety-related professionals. NATCA was certified in 1987 by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to be the exclusive bargaining representative for air traffic controllers employed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Today, NATCA is one of the strongest labor unions in the federal sector and represents a range of aviation safety professionals in 15 FAA bargaining units, five Department of Defense air traffic facilities, and 123 federal contract towers. These air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals make vital contributions to the U.S. economy and make modern life possible by coordinating the safe, orderly, and expeditious movement of one billion aviation passengers and millions of tons of freight within the National Airspace System each year. NATCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
