H.R. 1493

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1493 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>

Union Calendar No. 625
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1493

[Report No. 119-720]

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

July 2, 2026

Additional sponsors: Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Rutherford, and Mr. Vindman

July 2, 2026

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________

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.
Union Calendar No. 625

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 1493

[Report No. 119-720]

_______________________________________________________________________

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

July 2, 2026

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed