U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly’s bill to study cancer rates among military aviators is headed to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Passed this week by Congress, the Aviator Cancer Examination Study Act addresses cancer rates among Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps aircrew members.
Speaking as a former Navy combat pilot, Kelly, D-Arizona, said there are “certain risks that we know and accept” with military service, but the nation knows little about the health risks affecting aviators and crew members later in life.
“Veteran aviators and aircrews deserve answers about the correlation between their job and cancer risks so we can reduce those risks for future pilots,” said Kelly in a news release. “Getting this across the finish line has been a bipartisan effort from the start, and I am proud to see this bill on its way to becoming law so we can deliver real answers and accountability for those who served.”
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, co-sponsored the ACES Act. A combat veteran and fellow Armed Services Committee member, Cotton said the nation owes it to aviators to research cancer rates among this group.
The Center Square reached out to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for information on cancer rates among aviators and did not receive a response. However, Kelly’s press release said “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.” As a result, the ACES Act directs the secretary of Veterans Affairs to study cancer incidence and mortality rates among aviators and aircrew who served in the Armed Forces.
“This legislation is critical as it would improve our understanding of the link between military service and cancer risks among veteran aviators,” said Kelly’s office. “By better understanding the correlation between aviator service and cancer, we can better assist our military and provide more adequate care for our veterans.”
U.S. Reps. August Pfluger, R-Texas, and Jimmy Panetta, D-California, introduced the House version of the ACES Act.
In 2023, Kelly co-introduced the Counting Veterans’ Cancer Act, signed by President Joe Biden in 2024. That measure was also sponsored by U.S. Sen. Thom Thillis, R-North Carolina, and required VA facilities to share cancer data with state registries to guarantee that information be included in national registries.
Kelly got this to the WH desk with whom backing it? This a ruse to say – Trump cares not for ‘the military’ or it’s men – see what’ he’s done with this measure trying to assist our combat flyers. Anything for something to blame on TRUMP. Where’s this beef been? Where is it now?
Another one of the ones who was INSTALLED in AZ to join the Cartel Hobbs crew.
was the KFC launched by his balloon a carcinogenic product after the flight?
This seems honorable but it is foolish. It is well documented that when one goes up in the athmosphere one gets more radiation. And radiation is cumulative, the more times one goes it adds up. Focus on protection right away.
Having “studies” seems to be a Democrat code for endless funding for some group under the disguise of a feel good subject but no real results.
is this the only thing he has done to date other than being a echo for the democraps? I had to send a latter to the va for a guy I served with as he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Our mission that he was filing on required us to fly the korean dmz fence so they could keep their radar scope updated. It was a scrap built affair of a upa35 scope slaved to an air defense antenna. So 1 a month we were required to do a ‘trace flight’ on the unit. They had used agent orange on the area but had stopped about 18-24 months before I got there, he had been there a year earlier than me. ANyhow we were one skid (UH-1) over the fence and as low as we could get over it. We flew from CP1 to cp 22 took about 2 hrs to complete. Anyhow he was approved for the award of treatment and whatever, so the VA does do its work, but like any gov’t run organization it has its inherent issues depending on who is in charge. SVAZ VA is a excellent facility and I have been told this by vets and could compare their comments about what they have. So not all fit into a nice little niche to compare with. Yes may be slow at times but my PA of about 18 years retired and they did not have a rplacement for her yet on last visit. Seems no one want to work for the VAand thats is the biggest bottleneck othr than incompetent management.
no one wants to work for the VA because of the incompetent management ; bingo! you nailed the issue. Its a ‘retirement farm’ ‘retirement being the ‘goal’ of working their. Are there those that do a great job and work the VA to provide services to VETS – sure – I’d have to say most see it as a great job – because of the retirement. I too have Agent Orange issues from my I-Corp days – they tell me. If I were not managing myself.. my condition would be much worse – that I know. Not all do – if you have a problem – and don’t you are in danger. Meds / Rx the cure for all – but no one is driving that boat – soon the side effects are worse that the dis’ plague at issue. Is it that way in private medicine as well – I’d say YES – buyer beware. The $ is driving the boat.
kelly is surely an air head
nothing to see there