Kelly’s Bipartisan Bill to Study Cancer Among Military Aviators Passes House, Heads to President’s Desk to be Signed into Law

Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act clears final hurdle in Congress

This week, the House of Representatives passed Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Tom Cotton’s (R-AR) ACES Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address cancer rates among Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps aircrew members. The House companion was led by Representatives August Pfluger (R-TX-11) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19). The ACES Act now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. 

“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 and aircrews years later,” said Sen. Kelly. “Veteran aviators and aircrews deserve answers about the correlation between their job and cancer risks so we can reduce those risks for future pilots. Getting this across the finish line has been a bipartisan effort from the start, and I’m proud to see this bill on its way to becoming law so we can deliver real answers and accountability for those who served.” 

“We owe it to past, present, and future aviators in the armed forces to study the prevalence of cancer among this group of veterans. I applaud the House for passing this important piece of legislation and look forward to President Trump signing it into law,” said Sen. Cotton. 

“The ACES Act is my top priority in Congress, and I’m proud that we are now one step closer to making it law. This bill is deeply personal as it is in honor of my dear friend and former fighter pilot, Colonel Shurtleff, who recently lost his life in a second battle he never signed up to fight. The ACES Act is more than just a bill—it’s a lifeline and 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. We owe our service members nothing less. I look forward to seeing President Trump sign this critical legislation into law,” said Rep. Pfluger. 

“Many veterans face serious health risks, including increased rates of cancer potentially linked to their time in the cockpit,” said Rep. Panetta. “With the final passage of the ACES Act out of the House, this legislation is now on its way to becoming law to get our aviators and their families the answers and care they deserve. This bipartisan achievement reaffirms our commitment to understanding these diagnoses and ensuring that military and VA providers have the data they need to better protect those who’ve served our nation.” 

Background:   

Pilots and aircrews have been found to face higher risks of developing prostate cancer and melanoma, with potential links to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and testicular cancer. The ACES Act directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to study cancer incidence and mortality rates among aviators and aircrew who served in the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. This legislation is critical as it would improve our understanding of the link between military service and cancer risks among Veteran aviators. By better understanding the correlation between aviator service and cancer, we can better assist our military and provide more adequate care for our veterans. 

The ACES Act is complementary to Kelly’s bipartisan Counting Veterans’ Cancer Act, which requires Veterans’ Health Administration facilities to share cancer data with state cancer registries, thereby guaranteeing their inclusion in the national registries. Key provisions of the Counting Veterans’ Cancer Act were included in the first government funding package of Fiscal Year 2024. 

Click here to read the bill text.