Important Update:

We have refined the submission process to ensure your message is properly received and formally logged by Senator Ted Cruz’s office.

Instead of sending physical mail or separate emails, we now strongly recommend using the official contact form:
https://www.cruz.senate.gov/contact

The letter below remains the same—only the submission method has been updated.

FAA HIMS Program Under Scrutiny: Take Action Ahead of the Upcoming Audit

Aviation professionals are raising serious concerns—here’s how you can make your voice heard.

The Moment for Oversight Has Arrived

The FAA’s Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Program is facing increased scrutiny as discussions of a formal audit gain traction.

Originally designed as a safety-focused pathway to support pilots dealing with substance-related concerns, the HIMS Program has evolved into something far more complex—and, according to many within the aviation community, far more concerning.

Across the country, pilots and aviation professionals are speaking out about systemic issues within the program. These are not isolated complaints. They represent consistent patterns that raise serious questions about fairness, medical integrity, and oversight.

What We’re Hearing from the Aviation Community

Coercion into Participation: Individuals report being pressured—directly or indirectly—into entering or remaining in the program, even without a clear medical diagnosis.
Questionable Diagnoses: Diagnoses are sometimes inferred or expanded based on limited information, such as a single alcohol-related event or assumptions about “tolerance.”
Disregard for Objective Evidence: Clinical evaluations that do not support a diagnosis are, in some cases, minimized or ignored.
Lack of Transparency: Participants often cannot obtain clear explanations for decisions or changes to their Special Issuance requirements.
No Meaningful Appeal Process: Decisions with major career impact are frequently not subject to independent review.
Financial Burden: Required monitoring, testing, and evaluations can impose significant costs without clear clinical justification.
Concentrated Control: A small network of program-affiliated evaluators appears to hold significant influence with limited oversight.
Non-Treating Gatekeepers: Individuals who are not providing treatment may still control certification outcomes.
Outdated or Non-Standard Practices: Some methodologies may not reflect current medical standards.
No Clear Exit Criteria: Participants often lack a defined path to successfully complete the program.

Why This Matters

This is not about avoiding accountability.

It is about ensuring that a federally supported program operates with medical integrity, objective evidence, and fair, transparent processes.

When a system has the power to determine whether a pilot can work, provide for their family, or continue their career, it must be held to the highest standards.

Take Action: Submit Your Letter Through the Official Contact Form

With an audit on the horizon, now is the time to ensure policymakers hear directly from those affected.

We’ve created a simple letter you can copy and personalize. To ensure your message is properly received and formally logged, please submit it through the official contact form.

Why this update matters:

Messages sent through official Senate contact forms are processed digitally and routed directly to the appropriate staff.

In contrast, physical mail to congressional offices may be subject to off-site security screening and delivery delays before it is reviewed.

Using the official form helps ensure your message is received promptly and included in internal tracking systems.

👉 Add 1–2 sentences about your personal experience at the top if you feel comfortable.

How to Submit:

1. Go to:
https://www.cruz.senate.gov/contact

2. Select "Write to Ted"
3. Enter your first and last name
4. Under "What can we help you with?", select Transportation
5. Enter your street address

6. Suggested Subject Line:
FAA HIMS Program – Request for Oversight and Audit Review

7. Paste your letter below (you may add 1–2 personal sentences)
8. Select "Yes" for response requested
9. Submit

You may personalize the subject line slightly if desired.

Copy & Submit This Letter

[Date] The Honorable Ted Cruz United States Senate Dear Senator Cruz, I am writing as a member of the aviation community to express concern regarding the FAA’s Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Program and to respectfully urge your office to ensure strong oversight as part of any upcoming audit or review. While the program is intended to support safety and recovery, many participants have experienced a system that lacks transparency, consistency, and meaningful accountability. There are growing concerns within the aviation community that individuals may be pressured or effectively coerced into entering or remaining in the program, even in the absence of a clear, objective medical diagnosis. In some cases, diagnoses appear to be inferred or expanded based on limited data—such as isolated alcohol-related events or assumptions about “tolerance”—while objective medical evidence pointing away from a disorder is minimized or disregarded. Participants have also reported: - Medical determinations that are inconsistent or not clearly supported by objective standards - The creation or continuation of diagnoses despite contrary clinical evaluations - Limited ability to challenge or appeal program decisions with significant career impact - Prolonged monitoring requirements that impose substantial financial and professional burdens - A lack of transparency in how decisions are made or extended over time - Limited independent oversight, with key decisions concentrated among a small network of program-affiliated evaluators and administrators - The use of non-treating evaluators as de facto gatekeepers for certification outcomes - Reliance on outdated or non-standard methodologies that may not reflect current medical consensus - The absence of clear, objective criteria for program completion, leading to uncertainty and prolonged participation This issue is not about avoiding accountability or undermining safety. Rather, it is about ensuring that a federally supported program operates in a manner that is medically sound, evidence-based, and consistent with principles of fairness and due process. I respectfully ask that your office ensure the upcoming audit closely examines these concerns, including whether current practices align with accepted medical standards and whether additional safeguards or reforms are necessary. I would also strongly encourage your office to engage directly with Pilots for HIMS Reform (P4HR), a group representing a broad coalition of aviation professionals with firsthand experience in the program. Their insight and data may help ensure the audit reflects real-world conditions and accurately captures both systemic concerns and opportunities for reform. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to oversight and accountability. Respectfully, [Your Name] [City, State] [Aviation Role (optional)]

What You Can Do Next

Submit the letter through the official contact form
Share this page with others in aviation
Encourage colleagues to speak up

A Final Thought

Real reform does not happen in silence—it happens when those affected step forward and are heard.

The upcoming audit represents a rare opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to a system that has operated for too long without sufficient oversight.

If you have experienced the HIMS Program directly, or have seen its impact on others, your voice matters right now.

Take a few minutes to submit the letter through the official form. Share this page with others. Help ensure that this audit reflects the reality of those it affects.

We are not asking for less safety—we are asking for a system that is fair, evidence-based, and worthy of the professionals it governs.