WINGS Act

[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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