Published Jul 22, 2026, 10:48 AM EDT
The chamber authorized three federal programs that support traumatic brain injury research, surveillance, prevention and rehabilitation.
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Published Jul 22, 2026, 10:48 AM EDT
The House of Representatives has passed legislation to renew federal programs that support work combatting traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The legislation, introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), would reauthorize three federal programs that support TBI research, surveillance, prevention, rehabilitation and patient advocacy. The programs—the TBI Surveillance and Registries Program, the State Grant Program, and Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems—were established in 1996 and expired in 2024. This new legislation would extend them through 2030. The House-passed bill now heads to the Senate. The TBI Surveillance Program collects national data through state registries, while the State Partnership Grant Program builds local infrastructure for care. The P&A Systems defend survivor rights and prevent abuse. Agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) oversee these programs to address the needs of individuals with brain injuries. The bill comes after new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data revealed that the number of cases of TBI, which occurs when a sudden blow to the head causes damage to the brain, grew by 26% between 2021 and 2025—averaging more than 28,000 annual cases.
