I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1271 
To provide for systemic research, treatment, prevention, awareness, and dis-
semination of information with respect to sports-related and other concus-
sions. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2015 
Mrs. BEATTY (for herself, Mrs. WAGNER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. FATTAH, Ms. 
BROWN of Florida, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, and Mr. CA´RDENAS) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for systemic research, treatment, prevention, 
awareness, and dissemination of information with respect 
to sports-related and other concussions. 
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 ‘‘Concussion Awareness 
and Education Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents of this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
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Sec. 3. Findings; purposes. 
Sec. 4. Surveillance of sports-related concussions. 
Sec. 5. Research. 
Sec. 6. Dissemination of information. 
Sec. 7. Concussion Research Commission. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS; PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) There is currently no comprehensive system 
for acquiring accurate data on the incidence of 
sports- and recreation-related concussions across 
youth age groups and sports. 
(2) Overall, according to a report entitled 
‘‘Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving 
the Science, Changing the Culture’’, issued by the 
National Academies in 2013, each year in the 
United States, there are approximately 1.6 to 3.8 
million sports- and recreation-related traumatic 
brain injuries, including concussions and other head 
injuries. These figures are based on conservative es-
timates. 
(3) Between 2001 and 2009, the reported num-
ber of our youth ages 21 and under treated in an 
emergency department for concussion and other non- 
fatal sports and recreation-related traumatic brain 
injuries increased from 150,000 to 250,000. 
(4) Over the same time period between 2001 
and 2009, the rate of emergency room visits for con-
cussive injuries increased by 57 percent. 
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(5) Yet, according to the National Academies 
there currently is— 
(A) a lack of data to accurately estimate 
the incidence of sports-related concussions 
across a variety of sports and for youth across 
the pediatric age spectrum; and 
(B) no comprehensive system for acquiring 
accurate data on the incidence of sports- and 
recreation-related concussions across all youth 
age groups and sports. 
(6) Currently, there are significant information 
gaps in the proper protocol for diagnosis and treat-
ment of sports-related concussions and more re-
search desperately is needed. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to increase awareness and knowledge about 
concussions through development of, implementation 
of, and evaluation of the effectiveness of, large-scale 
collaborative efforts and research by entities includ-
ing, but not limited to, national sports associations, 
State high school associations, trainers’ associations, 
appropriate Federal entities, and other stakeholders 
such as parents, coaches, and students; and 
(2) to change the culture (including social 
norms, attitudes, and behaviors) surrounding con-
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cussions among elementary school youth and their 
parents, coaches, sports officials, educators, trainers, 
and health care professionals, taking into account 
demographic variations across population groups, 
where appropriate. 
SEC. 4. SURVEILLANCE OF SPORTS-RELATED CONCUS-
SIONS. 
Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended 
by inserting after section 317T of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
247b–22) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317U. SURVEILLANCE OF SPORTS-RELATED CONCUS-
SIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, acting through the Director of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, and taking into 
account other Federal data collection efforts, shall— 
‘‘(1) establish and oversee a national system to 
accurately determine the incidence of sports-related 
concussions among youth; and 
‘‘(2) begin implementation of such system not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the 
Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015. 
‘‘(b) DATA TO BE COLLECTED.—The data collected 
under subsection (a) shall, to the extent feasible, include 
each of the following: 
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‘‘(1) The incidence of sports related concussions 
in individuals 5 through 21 years of age. 
‘‘(2) Demographic information of the injured 
individuals, including age, sex, race, and ethnicity. 
‘‘(3) Pre-existing conditions of the injured indi-
viduals, such as attention deficit hyperactivity dis-
order and learning disabilities. 
‘‘(4) The concussion history of the injured indi-
viduals, such as the number and dates of prior con-
cussions. 
‘‘(5) The use of protective equipment and im-
pact monitoring devices. 
‘‘(6) The qualifications of personnel diagnosing 
the concussions. 
‘‘(7) The cause, nature, and extent of the con-
cussive injury, including— 
‘‘(A) the sport or activity involved; 
‘‘(B) the recreational or competitive level 
of the sport or activity involved; 
‘‘(C) the event type involved, including 
whether it was practice or competition; 
‘‘(D) the impact location on the body; 
‘‘(E) the impact nature, such as contact 
with a playing surface, another player, or equip-
ment; and 
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