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.
Sponsor
Frank Pallone
Democrat · NJ-6
Brain injury survivors shouldn't disappear in the data
Why it matters
About $111.8 million over five years would keep federal brain injury programs running while forcing HHS to answer, within 2 years, which high-risk groups are still being missed.
H.R. 1493 would spend about $111.8 million over five years to keep federal traumatic brain injury programs running and expand who gets counted, studied, and served.
The bill renews CDC surveillance funding at $9.25 million a year through 2030 and keeps state protection, advocacy, and service grants going at $13.118 million a year. It also tells the CDC to publish aggregated brain injury and concussion information online, including data on populations that may face higher risk and prevention strategies tailored to them.
The core change is not just more money. The bill pushes federal tracking beyond raw injury counts to include who is most at risk, what caused the injury, and what happens months or years later—including mental health conditions connected to traumatic brain injury.
States and American Indian consortia could still get grants, and Tribal entities are more clearly included in outreach and eligibility. But grantees would have to keep up their own non-federal spending instead of replacing it with federal dollars, though HHS could waive up to half the required match for one year if paying the full amount would stop the program from working.
The bill also requires two HHS reports within 2 years—one on high-risk populations, including domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and public safety officers, and another on chronic symptoms, dementia links, mental health, available services, and research gaps.
It also writes a more detailed federal definition of traumatic brain injury into the grant program. That matters because definitions shape who qualifies for services, who gets counted in the data, and which cases the federal government studies in the first place.
If this becomes law, the biggest change for you is simple: brain injuries that are now poorly tracked or overlooked would have a better chance of showing up in federal data, public reports, and state-level support programs.
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jul 21, 2026
Passed the House, received in Senate
H.R. 1493 Bill Summary
What H.R. 1493 actually does.
CDC brain injury tracking gets five more years
The bill authorizes $9.25 million a year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the national traumatic brain injury surveillance and registries program.
More injuries and more risk groups get counted
Federal tracking would expand to include higher-risk populations, causes and risk factors, and both short- and long-term outcomes, including related mental health conditions.
Public brain injury data goes online
CDC would have to make aggregated traumatic brain injury and concussion information publicly available on its website, including information on higher-risk groups when feasible.
State and Tribal grant access is broadened
The bill continues state grant programs, more clearly includes Tribal entities in outreach and eligibility, and authorizes $13.118 million a year through 2030 for state programs and protection and advocacy services.
Local funding can't just be replaced
States and American Indian consortia receiving grants would have to maintain their prior-year level of non-federal spending, although HHS could waive up to 50% of the match requirement for one fiscal year.
HHS must explain who is being missed
Within 2 years of enactment, HHS must send Congress a report on higher-risk populations and complete a separate study on chronic symptoms, dementia and mental health links, existing services, and research gaps.
Who benefits from H.R. 1493?
People living with long-term brain injury symptoms
If your concussion or traumatic brain injury keeps affecting memory, mood, or daily function long after the initial injury, the bill would require HHS to study those chronic effects and gaps in current services.
Domestic violence and sexual assault survivors
The bill specifically names survivors in the required HHS report on higher-risk populations, which could make a group often missed in injury data more visible in federal research and future program design.
Public safety officers and other higher-risk workers
Federal surveillance would pay more attention to populations whose risk is tied to the work they do or the circumstances they face, including public safety officers named in the bill.
States, Tribal entities, and American Indian consortia running support programs
These programs would have five more years of authorized funding—$13.118 million annually—and some applicants could get temporary relief from part of the match requirement.
Who is affected by H.R. 1493?
CDC and HHS
Federal health officials would need to collect broader data, publish aggregated information online, and deliver two major reports within 2 years.
State and Tribal grant recipients
Programs seeking federal funds would face maintenance-of-effort rules and, unless waived in part, matching requirements they must meet to keep grants flowing.
Researchers, clinicians, and advocates
They would gain a larger public pool of aggregated federal data on traumatic brain injury, concussion, higher-risk populations, and prevention strategies.
People whose injuries fall outside the bill's definition
The grant program would continue to exclude brain dysfunction tied to congenital disorders, degenerative disorders, or birth trauma unless federal officials later revise the definition.
Cost & Funding
Authorization
$22.368 million a year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030—$9.25 million for CDC surveillance and registries plus $13.118 million for state programs, or about $111.84 million over five years.
- The bill authorizes $9.25 million annually for the CDC traumatic brain injury surveillance and registries program.
- It separately authorizes $13.118 million annually for state grants and protection and advocacy services.
- Back-of-the-napkin total: $22.368 million per year x 5 years = about $111.84 million.
- These are authorizations, not automatic spending; Congress would still need to provide the money through annual appropriations.
- Grant recipients must maintain prior-year non-federal spending, and HHS may waive up to 50% of the matching requirement for one fiscal year.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 1493 has come up 9 times in the Congressional Record so far.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1493, led by my colleagues Representatives Pallone and Bacon, which would reauthorize HHS programs that allocate resources for traumatic brain injury prevention, improving access to TBI rehabilitation and TBI patient advocacy systems. TBI is a significant public health burden and a major driver of death and disability. In 2021 alone, there were over 69,000 TBI-related deaths.
H.R. 1493 also appeared in 4 routine cosponsor filings.
HR1493 Legislative Journey
Committee Action
Jul 21, 2026
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
House: Vote: 4646-4647
Jul 20, 2026
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4646-4647)
House: Committee Action
Jul 2, 2026
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-720.
House: Vote: 43-0
May 21, 2026
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 0.
House: Committee Action
Feb 21, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
About the Sponsor
Frank Pallone
Democrat, New Jersey's 6th congressional district · 39 years in Congress
Committees: Energy and Commerce
View full profile →
Cosponsors (6)
This bill has 6 cosponsors: 3 Democrats, 3 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 6 states: Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, and 3 more.
Committee Sponsors
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
0 of 23 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Energy and Commerce Committee
2 of 54 committee members cosponsored
33 Democrats across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
What laws does H.R. 1493 change?
1 changes
Sections Amended
Section 1253 of Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d- 53)
striking subsection (l)
H.R. 1493 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Health
- Introduced
- Feb 21, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Jul 21, 2026
Official Sources
Official bill status, text, actions, and committee information for H.R. 1493.
The Injury Center houses CDC’s broader injury-prevention work, including programs and data systems relevant to traumatic brain injury surveillance.
Congressional Budget Office search results may surface any official cost estimate for H.R. 1493 or related TBI reauthorization legislation.
This statute is one of the Public Health Service Act sections amended by the bill for state traumatic brain injury grant programs.
This is the statutory section for the national traumatic brain injury surveillance and registries program that H.R. 1493 updates.
H.R. 1493 Common Questions
How much money does H.R. 1493 authorize?
About $111.84 million over five years. The bill authorizes $9.25 million a year for CDC brain injury tracking and $13.118 million a year for state programs from 2026 through 2030.
Would H.R. 1493 create new benefits for patients?
Not directly. H.R. 1493 mainly reauthorizes public health programs, expands data collection, and continues grants that states and advocacy systems can use for services and support.
What changes in brain injury tracking under H.R. 1493?
The CDC would track more than injury counts. H.R. 1493 adds higher-risk populations, causes and risk factors, short- and long-term outcomes, and evidence-based concussion practices.
Would the CDC have to post brain injury data online?
Yes. H.R. 1493 says CDC must make aggregated traumatic brain injury and concussion information public on its website, including higher-risk population data when feasible.
Can Tribal entities get funding under H.R. 1493?
Yes. The bill more clearly includes Tribal entities in outreach and eligibility for the brain injury grant program, alongside states and American Indian consortia.
Do states still have to put up their own money?
Yes. Grant recipients must keep non-federal spending at least at the prior year's level. HHS can waive up to 50% of the match for one fiscal year if the full match would block the program.
Who does H.R. 1493 say is at higher risk for traumatic brain injury?
The bill requires HHS to examine higher-risk populations and specifically names people affected by domestic violence or sexual assault and public safety officers.
Does H.R. 1493 look at long-term concussion and dementia risks?
Yes. HHS would have 2 years to study chronic symptoms, effects across the lifespan, links to dementia and mental health, existing services, and research gaps.
Based on H.R. 1493 bill text
H.R. 1493 Bill Text
“To reauthorize and make improvements to Federal programs relating to the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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