119-hr4805

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4805 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4805

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the 
long-term physiological and psychological effects of military aviation 
 veterans who served as aviators in the Armed Forces, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 29, 2025

 Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia (for herself and Ms. Goodlander) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
 Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the 
long-term physiological and psychological effects of military aviation 
 veterans who served as aviators in the Armed Forces, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Warrior Impact from Neurological and 
G-Force Stress Act'' or the ``WINGS Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF MILITARY FLIGHT OPERATIONS ON 
 BRAIN HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a 
comprehensive, longitudinal study to assess the long-term physiological 
and psychological effects of military aviation, including with respect 
to high-performance flight and G-force exposure, on military aviators.

    (b) Elements.--The study under subsection

    (a) shall examine, at a 
minimum--

    (1) the relationship between cumulative flight hours and 
 exposure to G-forces and incidents of traumatic brain injury, 
 sub-concussive trauma, or cognitive impairment;

    (2) long-term mental health outcomes, including with 
 respect to incidence of depression, anxiety disorders, and 
 post-traumatic stress disorder, in military aviators compared 
 to other members of the Armed Forces;

    (3) the correlation between aviation-related physiological 
 stress and suicide risk among aviators;

    (4) the prevalence of neurodegenerative conditions 
 (including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, amyotrophic 
 lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease) in current and 
 former military aviators;

    (5) the effect of helmet design, oxygen systems, flight 
 suit pressurization, and other cockpit environmental factors on 
 neurocognitive health;

    (6) current screening and diagnostic procedures used to 
 detect early signs of neurological injury or psychological 
 distress in military aviators; and

    (7) recommended improvements in the monitoring, prevention, 
 and treatment of aviation-related brain trauma and mental 
 health challenges.
            (c) Consultation.--In conducting the study under subsection

    (a) , 
the Secretary shall consult with--

    (1) the Secretary of Defense;

    (2) the Surgeons General of the military departments;

    (3) the Director of the Defense Health Agency; and

    (4) relevant academic institutions and federally funded 
 research and development centers with expertise in aviation 
 medicine, neuroscience, and psychiatry.
            (d) Pilot Health Registry.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish and maintain a centralized Military Aviator Neurohealth 
Registry that includes--

    (1) anonymized health data of military aviators voluntarily 
 participating in the study under subsection

    (a) ;

    (2) flight exposure metrics, including cumulative hours and 
 G-force profiles;

    (3) relevant health outcomes tracked over time; and

    (4) a mechanism for longitudinal follow-up with the 
 military aviators.

    (e) Reports.--

    (1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date 
 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
 Congress an interim report on the study under subsection

    (a) , 
 including any preliminary findings and recommendations.

    (2) Final report.--Not later than three years after the 
 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
 to Congress report on the study under subsection

    (a) , including 
 findings and recommendations.

    (f) Military Aviator Defined.--In this section, the term ``military 
aviator'' means a veteran who, as a member of the Armed Forces, 
including a commissioned officer or a warrant officer--

    (1) had been designated as a pilot, naval aviator, or 
 aircrew member by the Secretary of the military department 
 concerned;

    (2) operated, or was regularly assigned as a flight crew 
 member aboard, high-performance, crewed, fixed-wing or rotary-
 wing aircraft designed for tactical, training, or 
 reconnaissance missions, including--
        (A) fighter aircraft (such as the F-35, F/A-18, F-
 22, and F-16 aircraft);
        (B) attack aircraft (such as the A-10 and AH-64 
 aircraft);
            (C) trainer jets (such as the T-7, T-38, and T-45 
 aircraft); and
            (D) tiltrotor or high-speed rotary aircraft (such 
 as the V-22 aircraft);

    (3) was subject to sustained or repeated G-forces during 
 the routine execution of flight duties; and

    (4) served in a role that may have included aircraft 
 control, weapons employment, navigation, reconnaissance, or 
 mission-specific operations requiring aircrew qualification and 
 exposure to flight-related physiological stressors.
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