To reauthorize and make improvements to Federal programs relating to the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries, and for other purposes. · Introduced in House (2025-02-21)

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

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 · Sponsor: Mr. Pallone · Committee: Committee on Energy and Commerce

SEC. 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 () is amended— 42 U.S.C. 280b–1c
- Prevention of traumatic brain injury
  - in subsection (a), by inserting after ;
  - in subsection (b)—
    - (i) in paragraph (1), by inserting before the semicolon;
    - (ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon; and
    - (iii) in paragraph (3)—
    - in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking each place it appears and inserting ; and
    - in subparagraph (A)—
    - in clause (i), by striking ; andand inserting of traumatic brain injury;;
    - by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iv);
      - (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
    - by inserting after clause (i) the following:
    - in clause (iv), as so redesignated, by striking arising from traumatic brain injuryand inserting , which may include related mental health and other conditions, arising from traumatic brain injury, including; and
  - in subsection (c), by inserting before the period at the end.
(2) National program for traumatic brain injury surveillance and registries
- Section 393C of the Public Health Service Act () is amended— 42 U.S.C. 280b–1d
  - by amending the section heading to read as follows: ; The Bill Pascrell, Jr., national program for traumatic brain injury surveillance and registries
  - in subsection (a)—
    - (i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting after ;
    - (ii) in paragraph (1), by inserting before the semicolon; and
    - (iii) in paragraph (4), by inserting before ;
  - by striking subsection (b);
  - by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b);
  - in subsection (b), as so redesignated, by inserting before the period at the end; and
    - (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.
  - by adding at the end the following:
(3) Authorization of appropriations
- Section 394A of the Public Health Service Act () is amended— 42 U.S.C. 280b–3
  - in subsection (a), by striking 1994, andand inserting 1994,; and
  - in subsection (b), by striking 2020 through 2024and 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 () is amended— 42 U.S.C. 300d–52
- State grants for projects regarding traumatic brain injury
  - in subsection (b)(2)—
    - (i) by inserting after ; and
    - (ii) by inserting after ;
    - (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.
  - in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:
  - in subsection (e)(3)(B)—
    - (i) by striking ; and
    - (ii) by inserting after ;
    - (1) American Indian consortium; State
      - The terms and have the meanings given such terms in section 1253. American Indian consortium,State
    - (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—
        
        brain injuries caused by anoxia due to trauma; and
        
        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 under this paragraph, as the Secretary determines necessary, after consultation with States and other appropriate public or nonprofit private entities. traumatic brain injury
  - in subsection (h), by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following:
  - in subsection (i), by striking 2020 through 2024and inserting 2026 through 2030.

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 ) 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—
- 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
- 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;
- an overview of any outreach or education efforts to reach such higher risk populations; and
- 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—
  - examine the incidence and prevalence of long-term or chronic symptoms or conditions in individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain injury;
  - examine the evidence base of research related to the chronic effects of traumatic brain injury across the lifespan;
  - examine any correlations between traumatic brain injury and increased risk of other conditions, such as dementia and mental health conditions;
  - assess existing services available for individuals with such long-term or chronic symptoms or conditions; and
  - 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—
  - 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
  - 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.

H.R. 1493

Table of contents

SEC. 1. Programs to prevent, detect, and treat traumatic brain injuries