House Passes Energy and Commerce Bills to Strengthen Public Health Efforts and Expand Access to Medical Innovation for American Patients
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, issued a statement following House passage of 12 bills.
"This week, we passed legislation that is critical to strengthening our nation's public health infrastructure," said Chairman Guthrie. "The bills that passed the House this week work to reauthorize vital medical grant programs, strengthen our health care workforce, accelerate the development of breakthrough treatments for chronic diseases and illnesses, and allow more patients to access additional therapies and medical equipment. I'm grateful to the champions of these bills for their diligent work on such important policies aiming to expand access to care for all Americans."
"House passage of these important bills highlights the good work of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Subcommittee on Health," said Chairman Griffith. "We believe these policies will help address federal health agency challenges, streamline patient opportunities for care and serve the medical needs of American communities. I appreciate working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to meet these key objectives."
BACKGROUND:
- H.R. 1493, To reauthorize and improve federal programs related to the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries - Rep. Pallone (NJ-06) and Rep. Bacon (NE-02):
- H.R. 1493 would reauthorize Federal programs to reduce the incidence and prevalence of traumatic brain injuries and the Bill Pascrell, Jr., National Program for Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance and Registries through 2030. It would also reauthorize state grant programs for the purpose of protection and advocacy systems that provide services to individuals with a TBI.
- H.R. 1493 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 2001, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a grant program addressing dental workforce needs - Rep. Kelly (IL-02) and Rep. Simpson (ID-02):
- H.R. 2001 would reauthorize a grant program that helps states develop and implement innovative programs to address the needs of the dental workforce in designated dental health professional shortage areas.
- H.R. 2001 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 2715, Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act - Rep. Higgins (LA-03) and Rep. Carter (LA-02):
- H.R. 2715 provides the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to require an importer to destroy an FDA-regulated product that was refused entry into the U.S. and presents a significant public health concern. The legislation would also authorize FDA to require importers to bear the costs of storage and destruction and prohibit the movement of hazardous refused shipments.
- H.R. 2715 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 2821, FDA Modernization Act 3.0 - Rep. Carter (GA-01) and Rep. Barragán (CA-44):
- H.R. 2821 would require the Secretary to publish an interim final rule to amend certain regulations to replace references of animal tests, data, studies, models, and research with references to nonclinical tests, data, studies, models, and research.
- H.R. 2821 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 3491, DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act of 2025 - Rep. DeGette (CO-01) and Rep. Hudson (NC-09):
- H.R. 3491 would authorize the INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE (INCLUDE) Project at the NIH, which promotes the scientific understanding of Down syndrome and co-occurring conditions and improve the quality of life of individuals with Down syndrome and their families. This bill would also require reporting to Congress on the program's progress and related research.
- H.R. 3491 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 3747, Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer's Provider Training Act - Rep. Balderson (OH-12) and Rep. Barragán (CA-44):
- H.R. 3747 would reauthorize the Project ECHO (Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes) Grant Program, which facilitates case-based learning, promoting access to specialty care in rural and underserved areas.
- H.R. 3747 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 4348, To reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act - Rep. Smith (NJ-04) and Rep. Doggett (TX-37):
- H.R. 4348 would reauthorize the National Strategy and Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) cooperative agreements with health departments in areas at high risk of vector-borne diseases.
- H.R. 4348 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 4541, EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025 - Rep. Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and Rep. Miller-Meeks (IA-01):
- H.R. 4541 would reauthorize educational resources for breast cancer early detection through.
- H.R. 4541, as amended, passed the House under suspension of the House rules by a roll call vote of 394 yeas - 6 nays, with 31 not voting.
- H.R. 5160, Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025 - Rep. Smith (NJ-04) and Rep. Matsui (CA-07):
- H.R. 5160 would reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation program and the National Cord Blood Inventory program.
- H.R. 5160 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 6238, NIH IMPROVE Act - Rep. Underwood (IL-14) and Rep. Fitzpatrick (PA-01):
- H.R. 6238 would authorize the Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative within the NIH. This initiative would advance maternal health research, with the goal of reducing preventable causes of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity.
- H.R. 6238 passed the House under suspension of the House rules.
- H.R. 8205, Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 - Rep. Quigley (IL-05) and Rep. Calvert (CA-41):
- H.R. 8205 would reauthorize and make changes to the grant award authority, expanded access program, and public-private partnership for research on therapies under the original ACT for ALS, which was enacted in 2021.
- H.R. 8205 passed the House under suspension of the House rules by voice vote.
- H.R. 1703, Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2026 - Rep. Joyce (PA-13):
- H.R. 1703 would clarify coding and payment rules for manual wheelchairs under Medicare Part B, requiring the Secretary to establish two or more codes for ultralightweight manual wheelchairs. Beneficiaries covered under Medicare Part B have the option to upgrade their wheelchair if they choose to do so. The Secretary may require suppliers to issue a notice to the individual prior to the purchase or rental of the wheelchair to inform the beneficiary of potential financial liability.
- H.R. 1703 passed the House under the suspension of the House rules.