118 HR 9233 IH: Harmonizing Environmental Analyses and Launching Therapeutic Hubs to Yield Bolstered Research And Innovation in Neurological Science Act of 2024
U.S. House of Representatives
2024-07-30
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I
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9233
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 30, 2024
Ms. Wexton (for herself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program for the conduct and support of research, training, and health information dissemination with respect to environmental risk factors of neurodegenerative diseases, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Harmonizing Environmental Analyses and Launching Therapeutic Hubs to Yield Bolstered Research And Innovation in Neurological Science Act of 2024” or the “HEALTHY BRAINS Act of 2024”.
2.

Research into environmental risk factors that may contribute to neurodegenerative disease
Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“409K.

Neurodegenerative disease environmental research
(a)

In general
The Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, shall establish a program for the conduct and support of research, training, and health information dissemination with respect to environmental risk factors (including environmental toxicant exposures) of neurodegenerative diseases.
(b)

Scope of research
Research conducted or supported under this section shall—
(1)
be focused on—
(A)
potential environmental toxicants, including environmental stressors such as volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, per- and polyfluorinated substances, and heavy metals in environmental media such as air, water, food, and soil;
(B)
the mechanistic interactions of such toxicants with neurodegenerative disease outcomes;
(C)
the presymptomatic markers of neurodegenerative disease; and
(D)
advancing development of environmental health strategies to prevent, manage, treat, or slow the progression of neurodegenerative disease; and
(2)
may include research—
(A)
examining environmental exposures, including occupational risk factors, sociobehavioral factors, and social determinants of health;
(B)
using fundamental approaches to identify historical, existing, and emerging environmental risks and factors that affect disease progression;
(C)
examining multifactorial causation from chemical and nonchemical exposures;
(D)
examining prevalence of the disease in relation to the distribution of exposures across communities and populations;
(E)
examining the expression of disease traits that result from the interplay of genes and environment; and
(F)
exploring physiological mechanisms driving neurodegeneration from toxicant exposures.
(c)

Coordination within NIH
(1)

In general
In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
(A)
provide for coordination across the programs and activities of the National Institutes of Health to avoid duplication; and
(B)
expand the funding of environmental health research by leading an ongoing, coordinated, and focused effort to fund new and existing centers for the study and evaluation of environmental risk factors (including environmental toxicants) of neurodegenerative diseases.
(2)

Biennial report
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—
(A)
submit a biennial report detailing the findings and conclusions of research under this section to—
(i)
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate;
(ii)
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and
(iii)
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;
(B)
post each report under subparagraph (A) on the public website of the National Institutes of Health; and
(C)
include the information reported pursuant to subparagraph (A) in the triennial report under section 403.
(d)

Collaborative Centers for Neurodegenerative Disease Environmental Research
(1)

In general
In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide for the establishment of research centers, to be known as Collaborative Centers for Neurodegenerative Disease Environmental Research (in this section each referred to as a “CCNDER”) at institutions of higher education, medical centers, and other appropriate entities.
(2)

Requirements
With respect to neurodegenerative disease, each CCNDER shall—
(A)
conduct and support basic, applied, and clinical research on the effects of environmental risk factors (including environmental toxicants), including with respect to disease progression;
(B)
use the facilities of a single institution or a consortium of cooperating institutions to administer the CCNDER and meet such qualifications as may be prescribed by the Secretary;
(C)
focus on population-based, environmental health research;
(D)
ensure that the research conducted and supported pursuant to this section is interdisciplinary and collaborative;
(E)
coordinate with existing intramural and extramural efforts of the National Institutes of Health; and
(F)
collaborate with relevant partners and stakeholders, including researchers, health professionals, nonprofit organizations, patients, and caregivers, to understand the effects of environmental risk factors (including environmental toxicants) of neurodegenerative disease and progression thereof.
(3)

Discretionary activities
With respect to neurodegenerative diseases, each CCNDER may—
(A)
provide career enhancement and training opportunities for scientists, researchers, environmental professionals, and health professionals, including through the provision of stipends;
(B)
conduct programs to provide information and continuing education to health professionals, including through the provision of stipends;
(C)
conduct programs for the dissemination of information to the public regarding research findings and proposed prevention strategies when appropriate;
(D)
separately or in collaboration with other CCNDERs or governmental agencies, establish a nationwide data system that—
(i)
includes data derived from comprehensive and representative patient populations with neurodegenerative diseases; and
(ii)
where possible, compares relevant data involving general populations;
(E)
separately or in collaboration with other CCNDERs, establish a clearinghouse, to be known as the Environmental Contributions to Neurodegenerative Disease Information Clearinghouse, to facilitate and enhance knowledge and understanding of environmental risk factors of neurodegenerative diseases; and
(F)
separately or in collaboration with other CCNDERs, establish a national education program that fosters a national focus on environmental risk factors of neurodegenerative diseases.
(4)

Duration of support
The period of support for a CCNDER under this section shall not exceed 5 years, except that such period may be extended by the Secretary for one or more additional periods of not more than 5 years if—
(A)
the operations of such CCNDER have been reviewed by an appropriate technical and scientific peer review group established by the Secretary; and
(B)
such group has recommended to the Secretary that such period should be extended.
(e)

Authorization of appropriations
To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.”.