[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1493 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1493
To reauthorize and make improvements to Federal programs relating to
the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 21, 2025
Mr. Pallone (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Crenshaw)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize and make improvements to Federal programs relating to
the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries,
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. PROGRAMS TO PREVENT, DETECT, AND TREAT TRAUMATIC BRAIN
INJURIES.
(a) The Bill Pascrell, Jr., National Program for Traumatic Brain
Injury Surveillance and Registries.--
(1) Prevention of traumatic brain injury.--Section 393B of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b-1c) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by inserting ``and
prevalence'' after ``incidence'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and
reduction of associated injuries and
fatalities'' before the semicolon;
(ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and
related risk factors'' before the semicolon;
and
(iii) in paragraph (3)--
(I) in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``2020''
each place it appears and inserting
``2030''; and
(II) in subparagraph (A)--
(aa) in clause (i), by
striking ``; and'' and
inserting ``of traumatic brain
injury;'';
(bb) by redesignating
clause (ii) as clause (iv);
(cc) by inserting after
clause (i) the following:
``(ii) populations at higher risk of
traumatic brain injury, including populations
whose increased risk is due to occupational or
circumstantial factors;
``(iii) causes of, and risk factors for,
traumatic brain injury; and''; and
(dd) in clause (iv), as so
redesignated, by striking
``arising from traumatic brain
injury'' and inserting ``,
which may include related
mental health and other
conditions, arising from
traumatic brain injury,
including''; and
(C) in subsection (c), by inserting ``, and other
relevant Federal departments and agencies'' before the
period at the end.
(2) National program for traumatic brain injury
surveillance and registries.--Section 393C of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b-1d) is amended--
(A) by amending the section heading to read as
follows: ``the bill pascrell, jr., national program for
traumatic brain injury surveillance and registries'';
(B) in subsection (a)--
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
by inserting ``to identify populations that may
be at higher risk for traumatic brain injuries,
to collect data on the causes of, and risk
factors for, traumatic brain injuries,'' after
``related disability,'';
(ii) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``,
including the occupation of the individual,
when relevant to the circumstances surrounding
the injury'' before the semicolon; and
(iii) in paragraph (4), by inserting
``short- and long-term'' before ``outcomes'';
(C) by striking subsection (b);
(D) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection
(b);
(E) in subsection (b), as so redesignated, by
inserting ``and evidence-based practices to identify
and address concussion'' before the period at the end;
and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Availability of Information.--The Secretary, acting through
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall
make publicly available aggregated information on traumatic brain
injury and concussion described in this section, including on the
website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Such
website, to the extent feasible, shall include aggregated information
on populations that may be at higher risk for traumatic brain injuries
and strategies for preventing or reducing risk of traumatic brain
injury that are tailored to such populations.''.
(3) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 394A of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b-3) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``1994, and''
and inserting ``1994,''; and
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``2020 through
2024'' and inserting ``2026 through 2030''.
(b) State Grant Programs.--
(1) State grants for projects regarding traumatic brain
injury.--Section 1252 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 300d-52) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)(2)--
(i) by inserting ``, taking into
consideration populations that may be at higher
risk for traumatic brain injuries'' after
``outreach programs''; and
(ii) by inserting ``Tribal,'' after
``State,'';
(B) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the
following:
``(3) Maintenance of effort.--With respect to activities
for which a grant awarded under subsection (a) is to be
expended, a State or American Indian consortium shall agree to
maintain expenditures of non-Federal amounts for such
activities at a level that is not less than the level of such
expenditures maintained by the State or American Indian
consortium for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for
which the State or American Indian consortium receives such a
grant.
``(4) Waiver.--The Secretary may, upon the request of a
State or American Indian consortium, waive not more than 50
percent of the matching fund amount under paragraph (1), if the
Secretary determines that such matching fund amount would
result in an inability of the State or American Indian
consortium to carry out the purposes under subsection (a). A
waiver provided by the Secretary under this paragraph shall
apply only to the fiscal year involved.'';
(C) in subsection (e)(3)(B)--
(i) by striking ``(such as third party
payers, State agencies, community-based
providers, schools, and educators)''; and
(ii) by inserting ``(such as third party
payers, State agencies, community-based
providers, schools, and educators)'' after
``professionals'';
(D) in subsection (h), by striking paragraphs (1)
and (2) and inserting the following:
``(1) American indian consortium; state.--The terms
`American Indian consortium' and `State' have the meanings
given such terms in section 1253.
``(2) Traumatic brain injury.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
term `traumatic brain injury'--
``(i) means an acquired injury to the
brain;
``(ii) may include--
``(I) brain injuries caused by
anoxia due to trauma; and
``(II) damage to the brain from an
internal or external source that
results in infection, toxicity,
surgery, or vascular disorders not
associated with aging; and
``(iii) does not include brain dysfunction
caused by congenital or degenerative disorders,
or birth trauma.
``(B) Revisions to definition.--The Secretary may
revise the definition of the term `traumatic brain
injury' under this paragraph, as the Secretary
determines necessary, after consultation with States
and other appropriate public or nonprofit private
entities.''; and
(E) in subsection (i), by striking ``2020 through
2024'' and inserting ``2026 through 2030''.
(2) State grants for protection and advocacy services.--
Section 1253(l) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300d-53(l)) is amended by striking ``2020 through 2024'' and
inserting ``2026 through 2030''.
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall submit to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a
report that contains--
(1) an overview of populations who may be at higher risk
for traumatic brain injury, such as individuals affected by
domestic violence or sexual assault and public safety officers
as defined in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10284);
(2) an outline of existing surveys and activities of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on traumatic brain
injuries and any steps the agency has taken to address gaps in
data collection related to such higher risk populations, which
may include leveraging surveys such as the National Intimate
Partner and Sexual Violence Survey to collect data on traumatic
brain injuries;
(3) an overview of any outreach or education efforts to
reach such higher risk populations; and
(4) any challenges associated with reaching such higher
risk populations.
(d) Study on Long-Term Symptoms or Conditions Related to Traumatic
Brain Injury.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with
stakeholders and the heads of other relevant Federal
departments and agencies, as appropriate, shall conduct, either
directly or through a contract with a nonprofit private entity,
a study to--
(A) examine the incidence and prevalence of long-
term or chronic symptoms or conditions in individuals
who have experienced a traumatic brain injury;
(B) examine the evidence base of research related
to the chronic effects of traumatic brain injury across
the lifespan;
(C) examine any correlations between traumatic
brain injury and increased risk of other conditions,
such as dementia and mental health conditions;
(D) assess existing services available for
individuals with such long-term or chronic symptoms or
conditions; and
(E) identify any gaps in research related to such
long-term or chronic symptoms or conditions of
individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain
injury.
(2) Public report.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(A) submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a
report detailing the findings, conclusions, and
recommendations of the study described in paragraph
(1); and
(B) in the case that such study is conducted
directly by the Secretary, make the report described in
subparagraph (A) publicly available on the website of
the Department of Health and Human Services.
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