I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1347 
To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to provide for the 
establishment and implementation of concussion management guidelines 
with respect to school-aged children, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 5, 2009 
Mr. PASCRELL (for himself, Mr. PLATTS, and Mr. MEEKS of New York) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to 
provide for the establishment and implementation of con-
cussion management guidelines with respect to school- 
aged children, 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. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Concussion Treatment 
and Care Tools Act of 2009’’ or the ‘‘ConTACT Act of 
2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Concussions are mild traumatic brain inju-
ries, the long-term effects of which are not well un-
derstood. 
(2) As many as 3.8 million concussions related 
to sports and recreation are estimated to occur in 
the United States each year, although reliable data 
does not exist on the incidence of concussions and 
second impact syndrome among student athletes. 
(3) There is an increased risk for subsequent 
brain injuries among persons who have had at least 
one previous brain injury. 
(4) A repeat concussion, one that occurs before 
the brain recovers from a previous concussion, can 
slow recovery or increase the likelihood of having 
long-term problems. 
(5) In rare cases, repeat concussions can result 
in second impact syndrome, which can be marked by 
brain swelling, permanent brain damage, and death. 
(6) Recurrent brain injuries and second impact 
syndrome are highly preventable. 
(7) Many national organizations, including the 
American Academy of Neurology, the National Foot-
ball League, the American Academy of Family Phy-
sicians, and the Brain Injury Association of Amer-
ica, have adopted concussion management guide-
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lines, but multiple directives have created confusion 
and sparked debate. 
SEC. 3. CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES WITH RE-
SPECT TO SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. 
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 317T the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317U. CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES WITH 
RESPECT TO SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. 
‘‘(a) CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall establish concussion management 
guidelines (hereinafter in this section referred to as 
the ‘guidelines’) that address the prevention, identi-
fication, treatment, and management of concussions 
in school-aged children, including standards for stu-
dent athletes to return to play after a concussion. 
‘‘(2) CONFERENCE.—The Secretary shall con-
vene a conference of medical, athletic, and edu-
cational stakeholders for purposes of assisting in the 
establishment of the guidelines. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS TO STATES.— 
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—After establishing the 
guidelines, the Secretary may make grants to States 
for purposes of— 
‘‘(A) adopting, disseminating, and ensuring 
the implementation by elementary and sec-
ondary schools of the guidelines; and 
‘‘(B) funding implementation by elemen-
tary and secondary schools of computerized pre- 
season baseline and post-injury neuropsycholog-
ical testing for student athletes. 
‘‘(2) GRANT APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this section, the Secretary 
shall require a State to submit an application to 
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Sec-
retary shall require. 
‘‘(B) MINIMUM CONTENTS.—The Secretary 
shall require that an application of a State 
under subparagraph (A) shall contain at a min-
imum— 
‘‘(i) a description of the strategies the 
State will use to disseminate and ensure 
the implementation by elementary and sec-
ondary schools of the guidelines, including 
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any strategic partnerships that the State 
will form; and 
‘‘(ii) an agreement by the State to pe-
riodically provide data with respect to the 
incidence of concussions and second impact 
syndrome among student athletes in the 
State. 
‘‘(3) UTILIZATION
OF
HIGH
SCHOOL
SPORTS 
ASSOCIATIONS AND LOCAL CHAPTERS OF NATIONAL 
BRAIN
INJURY
ORGANIZATIONS.—In disseminating 
and ensuring the implementation by elementary and 
secondary schools of the guidelines pursuant to a 
grant under this section, the Secretary shall require 
States to utilize, to the extent practicable, applicable 
expertise and services offered by high school sports 
associations and local chapters of national brain in-
jury organizations in such States. 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION
OF ACTIVITIES.—In carrying 
out activities under this section, the Secretary shall coordi-
nate in an appropriate manner with the heads of other 
Federal departments and agencies that carry out activities 
related to concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. 
‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GUIDELINES.— 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enact-
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ment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on the implementation of sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(2) GRANT
PROGRAM
AND
DATA
COLLEC-
TION.—Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the implementation of sub-
section (b), including the number of States that have 
adopted the guidelines, the number of elementary 
and secondary schools that have implemented com-
puterized pre-season baseline and post-injury neuro-
psychological testing for student athletes, and the 
data collected with respect to the incidence of con-
cussions and second impact syndrome among stu-
dent athletes. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following 
definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘school-aged child’ means an in-
dividual who is 5 years of age through 18 years of 
age. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘second impact syndrome’ means 
catastrophic or fatal events that occur when an indi-
vidual suffers a concussion while symptomatic and 
healing from a previous concussion. 
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‘‘(3) The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘State’ means each of the 50 
States and the District of Columbia. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘student athlete’ means a school- 
aged child in any of the grades 6th through 12th 
who participates in a sport through such child’s ele-
mentary or secondary school. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2011 through 2014.’’. 
Æ 
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