Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Christopher and Dana 
Reeve Paralysis Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—PARALYSIS RESEARCH 
Sec. 101. Activities of the National Institutes of Health with respect to re-
search on paralysis. 
TITLE II—PARALYSIS REHABILITATION RESEARCH AND CARE 
Sec. 201. Activities of the National Institutes of Health with respect to re-
search with implications for enhancing daily function for per-
sons with paralysis. 
TITLE III—IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PERSONS WITH 
PARALYSIS AND OTHER PHYSICAL DISABILITIES 
Sec. 301. Programs to improve quality of life for persons with paralysis and 
other physical disabilities. 
TITLE I—PARALYSIS RESEARCH 
SEC. 101. ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF 
HEALTH WITH RESPECT TO RESEARCH ON 
PARALYSIS. 
(a) COORDINATION.—The Director of the National 
Institutes of Health (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Direc-
tor’’), pursuant to the general authority of the Director, 
may develop mechanisms to coordinate the paralysis re-
search and rehabilitation activities of the Institutes and 
Centers of the National Institutes of Health in order to 
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further advance such activities and avoid duplication of 
activities. 
(b) CHRISTOPHER AND DANA REEVE PARALYSIS RE-
SEARCH CONSORTIA.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Director may make 
awards of grants to public or private entities to pay 
all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, im-
proving, and providing basic operating support for 
consortia in paralysis research. The Director shall 
designate each consortium funded through such 
grants as a Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis 
Research Consortium. 
(2) RESEARCH.—Each consortium under para-
graph (1)— 
(A) may conduct basic, translational, and 
clinical paralysis research; 
(B) may focus on advancing treatments 
and developing therapies in paralysis research; 
(C) may focus on one or more forms of pa-
ralysis that result from central nervous system 
trauma or stroke; 
(D) may facilitate and enhance the dis-
semination of clinical and scientific findings; 
and 
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(E) may replicate the findings of consortia 
members or other researchers for scientific and 
translational purposes. 
(3) COORDINATION OF CONSORTIA; REPORTS.— 
The Director may, as appropriate, provide for the 
coordination of information among consortia under 
paragraph (1) and ensure regular communication 
among members of the consortia, and may require 
the periodic preparation of reports on the activities 
of the consortia and the submission of the reports to 
the Director. 
(4) ORGANIZATION OF CONSORTIA.—Each con-
sortium under paragraph (1) may use the facilities 
of a single lead institution, or be formed from sev-
eral cooperating institutions, meeting such require-
ments as may be prescribed by the Director. 
(c) PUBLIC INPUT.—The Director may provide for a 
mechanism to educate and disseminate information on the 
existing and planned programs and research activities of 
the National Institutes of Health with respect to paralysis 
and through which the Director can receive comments 
from the public regarding such programs and activities. 
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TITLE II—PARALYSIS REHABILI-
TATION RESEARCH AND CARE 
SEC. 201. ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF 
HEALTH WITH RESPECT TO RESEARCH WITH 
IMPLICATIONS FOR ENHANCING DAILY FUNC-
TION FOR PERSONS WITH PARALYSIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director, pursuant to the 
general authority of the Director, may make awards of 
grants to public or private entities to pay all or part of 
the costs of planning, establishing, improving, and pro-
viding basic operating support to multicenter networks of 
clinical sites that will collaborate to design clinical reha-
bilitation intervention protocols and measures of outcomes 
on one or more forms of paralysis that result from central 
nervous system trauma, disorders, or stroke, or any com-
bination of such conditions. 
(b) RESEARCH.—A multicenter network of clinical 
sites funded through this section may— 
(1) focus on areas of key scientific concern, in-
cluding— 
(A) improving functional mobility; 
(B) promoting behavioral adaptation to 
functional losses, especially to prevent sec-
ondary complications; 
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(C) assessing the efficacy and outcomes of 
medical rehabilitation therapies and practices 
and assisting technologies; 
(D) developing improved assistive tech-
nology to improve function and independence; 
and 
(E) understanding whole body system re-
sponses to physical impairments, disabilities, 
and societal and functional limitations; and 
(2) replicate the findings of network members 
or other researchers for scientific and translation 
purposes. 
(c) COORDINATION OF CLINICAL TRIALS NETWORKS; 
REPORTS.—The Director may, as appropriate, provide for 
the coordination of information among networks funded 
through this section and ensure regular communication 
among members of the networks, and may require the 
periodic preparation of reports on the activities of the net-
works and submission of reports to the Director. 
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TITLE III—IMPROVING QUALITY 
OF LIFE FOR PERSONS WITH 
PARALYSIS AND OTHER PHYS-
ICAL DISABILITIES 
SEC. 301. PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR 
PERSONS 
WITH 
PARALYSIS 
AND 
OTHER 
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this title referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) may study the unique health challenges associ-
ated with paralysis and other physical disabilities and 
carry out projects and interventions to improve the quality 
of life and long-term health status of persons with paral-
ysis and other physical disabilities. The Secretary may 
carry out such projects directly and through awards of 
grants or contracts. 
(b) CERTAIN
ACTIVITIES.—Activities under sub-
section (a) may include— 
(1) the development of a national paralysis and 
physical disability quality of life action plan, to pro-
mote health and wellness in order to enhance full 
participation, independent living, self-sufficiency, 
and equality of opportunity in partnership with vol-
untary health agencies focused on paralysis and 
other physical disabilities, to be carried out in co-
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(B) promoting proper nutrition, increasing 
physical activity, and reducing tobacco use; 
(C) education and awareness programs for 
health care providers; 
(D) prevention of secondary complications; 
(E) home- and community-based interven-
tions; 
(F) coordinating services and removing 
barriers that prevent full participation and inte-
gration into the community; and 
(G) recognizing the unique needs of under-
served populations. 
(c) GRANTS.—The Secretary may award grants in ac-
cordance with the following: 
(1) To State and local health and disability 
agencies for the purpose of— 
(A) establishing a population-based data-
base that may be used for longitudinal and 
other research on paralysis and other disabling 
conditions; 
(B) developing comprehensive paralysis 
and other physical disability action plans and 
activities focused on the items listed in sub-
section (b)(4); 
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(C) assisting State-based programs in es-
tablishing and implementing partnerships and 
collaborations that maximize the input and sup-
port of people with paralysis and other physical 
disabilities and their constituent organizations; 
(D) coordinating paralysis and physical 
disability activities with existing State-based 
disability and health programs; 
(E) providing education and training op-
portunities and programs for health profes-
sionals and allied caregivers; and 
(F) developing, testing, evaluating, and 
replicating effective intervention programs to 
maintain or improve health and quality of life. 
(2) To private health and disability organiza-
tions for the purpose of— 
(A) disseminating information to the pub-
lic; 
(B) improving access to services for per-
sons living with paralysis and other physical 
disabilities and their caregivers; 
(C) testing model intervention programs to 
improve health and quality of life; and 
(D) coordinating existing services with 
State-based disability and health programs. 
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(d) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that activities under this section are coordi-
nated as appropriate by the agencies of the Department 
of Health and Human Services. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2010 through 2013. 
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Union Calendar No. 15 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 307 
[Report No. 111–45] 
A BILL 
To enhance and further research into paralysis and 
to improve rehabilitation and the quality of life 
for persons living with paralysis and other phys-
ical disabilities, and for other purposes. 
MARCH 23, 2009 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
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