Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to require the Department of Defense and HHS to examine barriers to access for military pilots and air traffic controllers seeking mental health care. Today, when military and civilian aviators report that they have sought mental health care, they are faced with delays, confusion, and overbroad regulations in the process of returning to work. What that means practically is that even minor mental health concerns can derail careers for safe, well-trained pilots and air traffic controllers who just want to get better. That has created a culture of silence and has disincentivized aviators from seeking care and ultimately made our skies less safe. In May, the Air Force took a good first step forward by allowing these pilots and air traffic controllers to receive an extra 60 days of treatment without losing their wings. My bipartisan amendment builds on that to help destigmatize mental health care and ensure that those who seek care face no more consequence nor any less scientifically robust standards for being re-cleared for duty than they would if they were seeking physical healthcare. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting access for mental health care for pilots and protecting the health and readiness of our Armed Forces and keeping our skies safe.”