H.R. 6993

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6993 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6993

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out programs to 
award grants to eligible entities to conduct research with respect to 
treatments for traumatic brain injury prospective randomized control 
trials for neurorehabilitation treatments, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2026

Mr. Bergman (for himself, Ms. Elfreth, Ms. King-Hinds, Mr. Davis of 
North Carolina, Mr. Van Orden, and Mr. Luttrell) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out programs to 
award grants to eligible entities to conduct research with respect to 
treatments for traumatic brain injury prospective randomized control 
trials for neurorehabilitation treatments, 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. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans TBI Breakthrough 
Exploration of Adaptive Care Opportunities Nationwide Act of 2026'' or 
the ``BEACON Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GRANT PROGRAM FOR SUPPLEMENTAL 
NEUROREHABILITATION APPROACHES TO CHRONIC MILD TBI 
TREATMENT.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish 
a grant program (to be known as the ``TBI Innovation Grant Program'') 
to award grants to eligible entities described in subsection (b) for 
the development, implementation, and evaluation of approaches and 
methodologies for prospective randomized control trials for 
neurorehabilitation treatments for the treatment of chronic mild TBI 
(mTBI) in veterans.
(b) Eligible Entities Described.--An eligible entity described in 
this subsection is any of the following:
(1) A nonprofit organization.
(2) An academic institution engaged in research with 
respect to TBI.
(3) A non-Department health care provider with expertise in 
neurorehabilitative therapies.
(4) An entity the Secretary determines appropriate for an 
award of a grant under this section.
(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity in receipt of a grant under 
this section shall use such grant to support activities that include--
(1) designing and testing novel or integrative treatments 
for mTBI that prioritize patient-centered care, including non-
pharmacological therapies;
(2) conducting clinical studies and assessments to measure 
the effectiveness of funded approaches to--
(A) improve mental health outcomes among veterans;
(B) reduce suicidality, and common risk factors for 
completing suicide, including depression and substance 
use disorders among veterans; and
(C) mitigate long-term effects of mTBI;
(3) providing training for clinicians and outreach to 
veterans and their families to improve awareness and 
accessibility of innovative mTBI treatments; and
(4) establishing partnerships with community organizations, 
academic institutions, and health care facilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to implement and evaluate best 
practices.
(d) Limitation on Grant Amount.--The Secretary may not award an 
eligible entity a grant under this section in an amount that exceeds 
$5,000,000 per fiscal year.
(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to eligible entities that the Secretary determines 
have demonstrated experience in delivering or researching effective 
treatments for mTBI.
(f) Program Administration.--
(1) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application 
in such form, at such time, and containing such information and 
assurances as the Secretary determines appropriate, including a 
detailed description of--
(A) proposed activities;
(B) expected outcomes; and
(C) plans for evaluating effectiveness.
(2) Periodic reports.--An eligible entity in receipt of a 
grant under this section shall, not less frequently than 
annually, submit to the Secretary a report that includes, with 
respect to the period covered by the report--
(A) a description of how the eligible entity used 
such grant;
(B) a summary of the progress of activities funded 
with amounts from such grant; and
(C) measured outcomes relating to such activities.
(3) Oversight; annual evaluations.--The Secretary shall--
(A) ensure rigorous oversight with respect to the 
grant program under this section; and
(B) on an annual basis during the period the 
authority to carry out the grant program is effective, 
evaluate the efficacy of activities funded with a grant 
awarded under such program.
(g) Coordination With VA Mental Health Services.--The Secretary 
shall ensure that the grant program under this section aligns with the 
Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department 
to--
(1) provide for cohesive and comprehensive support for 
veterans with mTBI and associated mental health conditions; and
(2) increase research and development on integrated mTBI 
and mental health interventions outside of the scope of 
traditional Department of Veterans Affairs pathways, 
interventions, programs, procedures, and pharmaceuticals.
(h) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations to 
carry out this section.
(i) Available Amounts; Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) Available amounts.--The Secretary may carry out the 
program under this section using amounts available to the 
Secretary for general mental health care programs.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary $30,000,000 for fiscal 
years 2026 through 2028 to carry out the pilot program under 
this section, which shall remain available until expended.
(j) Duration; Annual Review.--The authority of the Secretary to 
carry out the grant program under this section shall terminate at the 
end of the 3-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. During such period, the Secretary shall, on an annual basis, 
review the effectiveness of such grant program to determine the 
potential of such grant program for continuation or expansion.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GRANT PROGRAM FOR INDEPENDENT 
THIRD-PARTY RESEARCH STUDIES AND TREATMENT WITH RESPECT 
TO SUPPLEMENTAL NEUROREHABILITATION TREATMENTS FOR MTBI.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish and carry out a research grant program to award grants to 
eligible entities described in subsection (b) for studies and applied 
programs on approaches and methodologies for the treatment of TBI in 
veterans.
(b) Eligible Entities Described.--An eligible entity described in 
this subsection is any of the following:
(1) An academic institution that conducts significant 
research on TBI.
(2) A nonprofit organization with--
(A) expertise in TBI research and 
neurorehabilitation; and
(B) demonstrated capabilities in clinical trials 
and TBI treatment evaluation and patient care delivery.
(3) An entity, or a partnership among entities, that the 
Secretary determines appropriate to receive a grant under this 
section.
(c) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at 
such time, and containing such information and assurances as the 
Secretary determines appropriate, including a summary of--
(1) proposed research and treatment activities;
(2) methodology; and
(3) expected outcomes.
(d) Grant Categories.--
(1) In general.--Pursuant to the research grant program 
under this section, the Secretary shall, each fiscal year--
(A) subject to the requirement under paragraph (2), 
award four grants in amounts of not more than $625,000 
for exploratory or pilot research and treatment 
projects; and
(B) award five grants in amounts of not more than 
$1,500,000 for collaborative or multidisciplinary 
research and treatment initiatives.
(2) Priority.--The Secretary shall award not fewer than 
three grants described in paragraph (1)(A) to nonprofit 
organizations.
(e) Responsibilities of the Third-Party Organization.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into an 
agreement with an independent third-party organization 
comparable to the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress 
Disorder of the Department of Veterans Affairs to--
(A) administer the research grant program; and
(B) carry out studies and implement efforts that 
include--
(i) analyzing data from TBI treatment 
methodologies developed pursuant to the 
research grant program to assess the effect, 
among veterans, of such methodologies on mental 
health outcomes and long-term recovery;
(ii) identifying evidence-based best 
practices and providing recommendations for 
further research or clinical application; and
(iii) randomized, controlled clinical 
trials to--
(I) validate and deliver 
treatments;
(II) establish a standard of care; 
and
(III) improve access to such 
treatments for veterans.
(2) Report.--The independent third-party organization with 
which the Secretary enters into an agreement under paragraph 
(1) shall submit to Congress and the Secretary a comprehensive 
report that includes--
(A) the findings of the studies required under such 
agreement; and
(B) recommendations with respect to the expansion 
of successful TBI treatment methodologies and standard 
of care recommendations, if any, developed pursuant to 
the research grant program.
(f) Available Amounts; Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) Available amounts.--The Secretary may use amounts 
available to the Secretary for the operating budget of the 
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to carry out 
the research grant program under this section.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to carry out this section.
(g) Reports to Congress.--Not later than two years after the date 
on which the Secretary commences the research grant program under this 
section, and on an annual basis thereafter during the period the 
authority of the Secretary to carry out such research grant program is 
effective, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that 
includes--
(1) the findings of the studies under--
(A) section 2(f)(2); and
(B) the agreement required by section 3(e); and
(2) recommendations of the Secretary with respect to policy 
and programmatic improvements to services of the Department to 
treat TBI among veterans.
(h) Termination Date.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out 
the research grant program under this section shall terminate on the 
date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) The term ``TBI'' means traumatic brain injury.
(2) The term ``treatment'' means clinical interventions, 
therapeutic devices, or rehabilitation care provided directly 
to a veteran with TBI.
(3) The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given such term in 
section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
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