Congress advances aviation medication, safety bills

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved the Aviation Medication Transparency Act, which was introduced by Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.).

The bill would require the FAA—for the first time—to publish and regularly update lists of medications that pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers can safely use, and those that they should not use. It also requires the FAA to provide information on how long airmen may need to limit their duties while adjusting to certain medications.

Similar legislation introduced by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) was approved by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in July.

“We look forward to the House and Senate reconciling the differences in these bills and getting it to the President for signature,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon. “AOPA strongly supports this commonsense and bipartisan effort that will make it easier for pilots to seek treatment while continuing to fly safely.”

The House committee also unanimously approved the Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act, introduced by Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska). A similar bill, introduced by Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), passed the Senate committee the next day.

The legislation would direct the FAA to install airborne position reference tools in contract air traffic control towers that lack radar systems—where controllers currently have to rely on radio communications and visual observations—to increase their situational awareness.

“Excellent leadership from Representative Begich and Senator Sheehy on this important topic,” said Coon. “While many contract towers have certified radar systems, many others lack them. AOPA strongly supports the adoption of these tools that will give controllers greater situational awareness and make our skies safer.”

The Senate committee also passed the Runway Surface Awareness and Focused, Effective Training and Technology (Runway SAFE-T) Act, introduced by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), which was introduced after the deadly collision between a fire truck and a regional jet at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in March.

The bill aims to improve airport driver training and support technologies to reduce runway incursions and other surface safety incidents.

“Senator Moran is a strong supporter of general aviation and longtime aviation safety advocate,” said Coon. “His bill takes a needed and important step toward making airports even safer for all operators.”