[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 118 (Monday, July 20, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4643-H4645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ACCELERATING ACCESS TO DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S PROVIDER TRAINING ACT
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3747) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize
the Project ECHO Grant Program, to establish grants under such program
to disseminate knowledge and build capacity to address Alzheimer's
disease and other dementias, and for other purposes, as amended.
[[Page H4644]]
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3747
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 ``Accelerating Access to
Dementia and Alzheimer's Provider Training Act'' or the
``AADAPT Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANDING CAPACITY FOR HEALTH OUTCOMES.
(a) In General.--Section 330N of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-20) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``entities'' and
inserting ``entities, including a public or nonprofit private
entity,''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting ``dementia care,''
after ``palliative care,''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 330N(k) of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-20(k)) is
amended by striking ``fiscal years 2022 through 2026'' and
inserting ``fiscal years 2027 through 2031''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
general leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the
legislation and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3747.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3747, led by my
colleagues Representatives Balderson and Barragan, which would
reauthorize the technology-enabled collaborative learning program.
The technology-enabled collaborative learning program health
education model connects healthcare professionals through interactive
videoconferencing, which helps meet people where they are by promoting
access to specialty care for people who otherwise may not be able to
access it because of where they live.
This is a valuable tool for clinicians to both continue learning and
improve existing knowledge of best practices to support and care for
patients in their communities. This is particularly effective for
patients in rural communities, and I represent many.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this legislation. I encourage my
colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3747, the AADAPT Act.
This bill reauthorizes Project ECHO, or the Expanding Capacity for
Health Outcomes grant program at the Health Resources and Services
Administration. This program uses videoconferencing technology to
train, advise, and support clinicians to improve access to specialty
treatment in rural and underserved areas.
By connecting primary care providers in rural areas with specialists
in academic medical centers or other specialized settings, these
providers receive the support they need to manage complex patient
conditions, and rural patients are more likely to receive the care that
they need closer to home.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R.
3747, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Balderson), my good friend and very important member of the
Energy and Commerce Committee.
Mr. BALDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3747, the
AADAPT Act.
Alzheimer's disease is one of the most significant public health
challenges facing our country today. More than 7 million Americans,
including over 236,000 Ohioans, are living with this devastating
disease, and those numbers continue to grow.
The sooner we can identify Alzheimer's and other dementias, the
sooner patients and families can begin treatment, plan for the future,
and access the care and support they need.
For many families, especially in rural and underserved communities, a
primary care provider is the first, and often only, healthcare
professional they see when memory loss or cognitive decline begins.
The AADAPT Act strengthens and reauthorizes the Project ECHO program,
giving those providers access to specialized training and mentoring so
they can recognize the signs of a potential condition and deliver
better care earlier and closer to home.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, which is a
practical, bipartisan solution that strengthens our healthcare
workforce and improves access to quality care for patients and
families.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Tonko), who is the ranking member of our Environment
Subcommittee.
Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the AADAPT Act, legislation
I am proud to be co-leading along with my good friends and colleagues
Representatives Troy Balderson, Nanette Barragan, and Darin LaHood.
Alzheimer's is a devastating disease that impacts nearly 427,000
individuals in New York State alone. I would imagine that everyone in
this room has been impacted in some form by Alzheimer's at some point.
It is, first and foremost, a human crisis, but it is also a Federal
budget crisis.
That is why I have been proud to be a champion of Alzheimer's-related
issues during my time in Congress and why I feel so strongly about
advancing the AADAPT Act today.
The AADAPT Act represents an investment in our provider workforce as
we enter a new era of dementia care, with emerging tools like blood-
based biomarker tests making earlier, more accessible diagnosis
possible and increasingly shifting diagnosis into primary care.
This legislation is designed to close the gaps in dementia training
by ensuring providers are prepared to responsibly adopt and apply these
innovations in everyday practice.
One proven way to address this issue is with the Project ECHO
training model. In my district, in the capital regional of New York,
health systems like St. Peter's Health Partners in Albany County are
already using the ECHO model and working to improve dementia care.
Mr. Speaker, I am indeed proud to have worked on the AADAPT Act and
urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation that
addresses advancements in this field of dementia care.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. LaHood), a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Guthrie and everyone
involved with this piece of legislation for their leadership, and I
rise today in strong support of H.R. 3747, the AADAPT Act. I am proud
to co-lead alongside Representative Balderson, Representative Barragan,
and Representative Tonko.
Alzheimer's disease is a growing public health crisis that is sadly
projected to affect nearly 14 million Americans by 2050. Yet, today,
Alzheimer's and related dementias go undetected in the primary care
setting roughly half of the time.
With a rapidly aging population, we must ensure that primary care
providers have the training and resources they need to recognize early
signs of cognitive decline and connect patients and families with the
appropriate care and support.
The AADAPT Act is about making sure expertise reaches every provider
community. It helps detect, diagnose, and manage Alzheimer's earlier
and more effectively, especially in rural and underserved areas where
access to dementia specialists can be very limited.
Earlier diagnoses have never be more important than now. As new
diagnostic tools and treatment options continue to emerge, helping
providers identify patients sooner can improve care planning and give
patients greater support when early intervention is most impactful.
This legislation is a critical step toward closing the diagnosis gap
and reducing care disparities in rural communities. Let's give
providers the resources they need by utilizing these
[[Page H4645]]
impactful virtual education programs that help reach vulnerable
patients.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to co-lead this legislation, and I urge my
colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation, which is bipartisan. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on the bill, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3747, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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