104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 248
AN ACT
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for
the conduct of expanded studies and the establishment
of innovative programs with respect to traumatic brain
injury, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROGRAMS OF CENTERS FOR DISEASE CON-
TROL AND PREVENTION.
Part J of title III of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 280b et seq.) is amended by inserting after
section 393 the following section:
‘‘PREVENTION OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
‘‘SEC. 393A. (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, act-
ing through the Director of the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention, may carry out projects to reduce the
incidence of traumatic brain injury. Such projects may be
carried out by the Secretary directly or through awards
of grants or contracts to public or nonprofit private enti-
ties. The Secretary may directly or through such awards
provide technical assistance with respect to the planning,
development, and operation of such projects.
‘‘(b) CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.—Activities under sub-
section (a) may include—
‘‘(1) the conduct of research into identifying ef-
fective strategies for the prevention of traumatic
brain injury; and
‘‘(2) the implementation of public information
and education programs for the prevention of such
injury and for broadening the awareness of the pub-
lic concerning the public health consequences of such
injury.
‘‘(c) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary
shall ensure that activities under this section are coordi-
nated as appropriate with other agencies of the Public
Health Service that carry out activities regarding trau-
matic brain injury.
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘traumatic brain injury’ means an acquired injury
to the brain. Such term does not include brain dysfunction
caused by congenital or degenerative disorders, nor birth
trauma, but may include brain injuries caused by anoxia
due to near drowning. The Secretary may revise the defi-
nition of such term as the Secretary determines
necessary.’’.
SEC. 2. PROGRAMS OF NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
Section 1261 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 300d–61) is amended—
(1) in subsection (d)—
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’
after the semicolon at the end;
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following
paragraph:
‘‘(4) the authority to make awards of grants or
contracts to public or nonprofit private entities for
the conduct of basic and applied research regarding
traumatic brain injury, which research may in-
clude—
‘‘(A) the development of new methods and
modalities for the more effective diagnosis,
measurement of degree of injury, post-injury
monitoring and prognostic assessment of head
injury for acute, subacute and later phases of
care;
‘‘(B) the development, modification and
evaluation of therapies that retard, prevent or
reverse brain damage after acute head injury,
that arrest further deterioration following in-
jury and that provide the restitution of function
for individuals with long-term injuries;
‘‘(C) the development of research on a con-
tinuum of care from acute care through reha-
bilitation, designed, to the extent practicable, to
integrate rehabilitation and long-term outcome
evaluation with acute care research; and
‘‘(D) the development of programs that in-
crease the participation of academic centers of
excellence in head injury treatment and reha-
bilitation research and training.’’; and
(2) in subsection (h), by adding at the end the
following paragraph:
‘‘(4) The term ‘traumatic brain injury’ means
an acquired injury to the brain. Such term does not
include brain dysfunction caused by congenital or
degenerative disorders, nor birth trauma, but may
include brain injuries caused by anoxia due to near
drowning. The Secretary may revise the definition of
such term as the Secretary determines necessary.’’.
SEC. 3. PROGRAMS OF HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION.
Part E of title XII of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 300d–51 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following section:
‘‘SEC. 
1252. 
STATE 
GRANTS 
FOR 
DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS REGARDING TRAUMATIC BRAIN
INJURY.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through
the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, may make grants to States for the pur-
pose of carrying out demonstration projects to improve ac-
cess to health and other services regarding traumatic
brain injury.
‘‘(b) STATE ADVISORY BOARD.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make a
grant under subsection (a) only if the State involved
agrees to establish an advisory board within the ap-
propriate health department of the State or within
another department as designated by the chief exec-
utive officer of the State.
‘‘(2) FUNCTIONS.—An advisory board estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall advise and make
recommendations to the State on ways to improve
services coordination regarding traumatic brain in-
jury. Such advisory boards shall encourage citizen
participation through the establishment of public
hearings and other types of community outreach
programs. In developing recommendations under this
paragraph, such boards shall consult with Federal,
State, and local governmental agencies and with citi-
zens groups and other private entities.
‘‘(3) COMPOSITION.—An advisory board estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall be composed of—
‘‘(A) representatives of—
‘‘(i) the corresponding State agencies
involved;
‘‘(ii) public and nonprofit private
health related organizations;