Kelly's Bipartisan Military Aviator Cancer Research Bill Passes Senate

Senator Mark Kelly's (D-AZ) bipartisan bill authorizing research into cancer among military aviators has passed the Senate, bringing it that much closer to being signed into law.

The Aviator Cancers Examination Study (ACES) Act, which Sen. Kelly reintroduced in late January with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to produce a study in conjunction with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on cancer and resulting mortality rates among active-duty crew members of fixed-wing aircraft in the US Armed Forces.

"As a former Navy pilot, there are certain risks that we know and accept come with our service, but we know far less about the health risks that are affecting many aviators years later," said Sen. Kelly in his press release, adding, "Veteran aviators deserve answers about the correlation between their job and cancer risks so we can reduce those risks for future pilots. I'm proud to see this approved in the Senate and won't rest until we get it across the finish line."

Similarly, Sen. Cotton said, "We owe it to past, present, and future aviators in the armed forces to study the prevalence of cancer among this group of veterans," referencing the House of Representatives passing their version of the bill in May by saying, " I applaud the House for passing this important piece of legislation and look forward to leading the effort, along with Senator Kelly, to pass it through the Senate."

Representative August Pfluger (R-TX), who introduced the House version of the bill, said, "I am thrilled that the Senate acted with urgency and passed the ACES Act today, which is my top priority in Congress. The ACES Act is in honor of my dear friend and former fighter pilot, Colonel Shurtleff, who recently lost his life in a second battle he never anticipated having to fight."

"Furthermore, the ACES Act is more than just a bill—it's a lifeline for those who have already given so much for our freedom, and it's a message to every pilot who has ever put on the uniform to protect our skies that we will fight to protect them in return. I look forward to moving this through the House once more and joining my colleagues at the White House to witness President Trump sign this vital bill into law," Rep. Pfluger continued.