Science Act of 2024’’ or the ‘‘HEALTHY BRAINS Act 
of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. RESEARCH INTO ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS 
THAT 
MAY 
CONTRIBUTE 
TO 
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE. 
Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 409K. NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE ENVIRON-
MENTAL RESEARCH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of NIH, shall establish a program for the con-
duct and support of research, training, and health infor-
mation dissemination with respect to environmental risk 
factors (including environmental toxicant exposures) of 
neurodegenerative diseases. 
‘‘(b) SCOPE OF RESEARCH.—Research conducted or 
supported under this section shall— 
‘‘(1) be focused on— 
‘‘(A) potential environmental toxicants, in-
cluding environmental stressors such as volatile 
organic compounds, particulate matter, per- 
and polyfluorinated substances, and heavy met-
als in environmental media such as air, water, 
food, and soil; 
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‘‘(B) the mechanistic interactions of such 
toxicants with neurodegenerative disease out-
comes; 
‘‘(C) the presymptomatic markers of 
neurodegenerative disease; and 
‘‘(D) advancing development of environ-
mental health strategies to prevent, manage, 
treat, 
or 
slow 
the 
progression 
of 
neurodegenerative disease; and 
‘‘(2) may include research— 
‘‘(A) examining environmental exposures, 
including 
occupational 
risk 
factors, 
sociobehavioral factors, and social determinants 
of health; 
‘‘(B) using fundamental approaches to 
identify historical, existing, and emerging envi-
ronmental risks and factors that affect disease 
progression; 
‘‘(C) examining multifactorial causation 
from chemical and nonchemical exposures; 
‘‘(D) examining prevalence of the disease 
in relation to the distribution of exposures 
across communities and populations; 
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‘‘(E) examining the expression of disease 
traits that result from the interplay of genes 
and environment; and 
‘‘(F) exploring physiological mechanisms 
driving neurodegeneration from toxicant expo-
sures. 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION WITHIN NIH.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) provide for coordination across the 
programs and activities of the National Insti-
tutes of Health to avoid duplication; and 
‘‘(B) expand the funding of environmental 
health research by leading an ongoing, coordi-
nated, and focused effort to fund new and exist-
ing centers for the study and evaluation of envi-
ronmental risk factors (including environmental 
toxicants) of neurodegenerative diseases. 
‘‘(2) BIENNIAL REPORT.—In carrying out para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) submit a biennial report detailing the 
findings and conclusions of research under this 
section to— 
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‘‘(i) the Committees on Appropria-
tions of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate; 
‘‘(ii) the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representa-
tives; and 
‘‘(iii) the Committee on Health, Edu-
cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
‘‘(B) post each report under subparagraph 
(A) on the public website of the National Insti-
tutes of Health; and 
‘‘(C) include the information reported pur-
suant to subparagraph (A) in the triennial re-
port under section 403. 
‘‘(d) 
COLLABORATIVE
CENTERS
FOR 
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE ENVIRONMENTAL RE-
SEARCH.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Secretary shall pro-
vide for the establishment of research centers, to be 
known 
as 
Collaborative 
Centers 
for 
Neurodegenerative Disease Environmental Research 
(in this section each referred to as a ‘CCNDER’) at 
institutions of higher education, medical centers, and 
other appropriate entities. 
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‘‘(2) 
REQUIREMENTS.—With 
respect 
to 
neurodegenerative disease, each CCNDER shall— 
‘‘(A) conduct and support basic, applied, 
and clinical research on the effects of environ-
mental risk factors (including environmental 
toxicants), including with respect to disease 
progression; 
‘‘(B) use the facilities of a single institu-
tion or a consortium of cooperating institutions 
to administer the CCNDER and meet such 
qualifications as may be prescribed by the Sec-
retary; 
‘‘(C) focus on population-based, environ-
mental health research; 
‘‘(D) ensure that the research conducted 
and supported pursuant to this section is inter-
disciplinary and collaborative; 
‘‘(E) coordinate with existing intramural 
and extramural efforts of the National Insti-
tutes of Health; and 
‘‘(F) collaborate with relevant partners and 
stakeholders, including researchers, health pro-
fessionals, nonprofit organizations, patients, 
and caregivers, to understand the effects of en-
vironmental risk factors (including environ-
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mental toxicants) of neurodegenerative disease 
and progression thereof. 
‘‘(3) DISCRETIONARY
ACTIVITIES.—With re-
spect to neurodegenerative diseases, each CCNDER 
may— 
‘‘(A) provide career enhancement and 
training opportunities for scientists, research-
ers, environmental professionals, and health 
professionals, including through the provision of 
stipends; 
‘‘(B) conduct programs to provide informa-
tion and continuing education to health profes-
sionals, including through the provision of sti-
pends; 
‘‘(C) conduct programs for the dissemina-
tion of information to the public regarding re-
search findings and proposed prevention strate-
gies when appropriate; 
‘‘(D) separately or in collaboration with 
other CCNDERs or governmental agencies, es-
tablish a nationwide data system that— 
‘‘(i) includes data derived from com-
prehensive and representative patient pop-
ulations with neurodegenerative diseases; 
and 
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‘‘(ii) where possible, compares rel-
evant data involving general populations; 
‘‘(E) separately or in collaboration with 
other CCNDERs, establish a clearinghouse, to 
be known as the Environmental Contributions 
to 
Neurodegenerative 
Disease 
Information 
Clearinghouse, to facilitate and enhance knowl-
edge and understanding of environmental risk 
factors of neurodegenerative diseases; and 
‘‘(F) separately or in collaboration with 
other CCNDERs, establish a national education 
program that fosters a national focus on envi-
ronmental risk factors of neurodegenerative dis-
eases. 
‘‘(4) DURATION OF SUPPORT.—The period of 
support for a CCNDER under this section shall not 
exceed 5 years, except that such period may be ex-
tended by the Secretary for one or more additional 
periods of not more than 5 years if— 
‘‘(A) the operations of such CCNDER 
have been reviewed by an appropriate technical 
and scientific peer review group established by 
the Secretary; and 
‘‘(B) such group has recommended to the 
Secretary that such period should be extended. 
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‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 
2030.’’. 
Æ 
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