Programs to Prevent, Detect, and Treat Traumatic Brain Injuries

Text in the Record

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (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, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 1493

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 ``appropriated'' and all that follows through ``2024'' and inserting ``appropriated $9,250,000 for each of fiscal years 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) by striking subsection (i). (2) State grants for protection and advocacy services.-- Section 1253 of the Public

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Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-53) is amended by striking subsection (l). (3) Authorization of appropriations.--Part E of title XII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-51 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 1253 (42 U.S.C. 300d- 53) the following:

``SEC. 1253A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR STATE PROGRAMS RELATING TO TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

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