Political Quotes

“currently, pilots and air traffic controllers who seek mental health care are unfairly penalized. While aviation professionals are mandated to report if they seek mental health care, once they take that step, they are faced with delays, confusion, and broad regulations to return to work. This often means that relatively minor mental health concerns result in long wait times and derailed careers for safe and well-trained pilots and air traffic controllers. If we don't change how we handle mental health in aviation, then we will exacerbate a culture of silence. When I was a law enforcement officer, we, too, faced a culture of silence. During a shift, we would see the worst of humanity, and then we went home to our loved ones and pretended everything was okay. That is because if you didn't, Mr. Speaker, you thought you would come off as weak or unable to handle the job. As a former police officer who required professional help after a specific call for service, I understand the importance of seeking help. It is not a sign of weakness. Like law enforcement officers, our pilots and air traffic controllers cannot fear that their livelihoods are at stake for taking care of themselves. These efforts are what keep skies safe in the first place.”