Representatives Beatty and Wagner Introduce Concussion Awareness and Education Act
Representatives Beatty and Wagner Introduce Concussion Awareness and Education Act
Legislation to Support the Research, Prevention, and Treatment of Concussions
(Washington, D.C.) – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02) introduced bipartisan legislation, The Concussion Awareness and Education Act, H.R. 3954, supporting concussion awareness, education, and research.
According to a 2013 report issued by The National Academies, entitled, “Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, Improving the Science, Changing the Culture,” each year in the United States there are approximately 1.6 to 3.8 million sports and recreation-related brain and concussive injuries. Yet, currently there is no comprehensive system for acquiring accurate data on the incidence of sports- and recreation-related concussions across all age groups and sports.
Additionally, there is no published data on the incidence of reported concussions during basic training for military recruits. This legislation would help improve education, research, and awareness about concussions, while establishing a more comprehensive system for acquiring accurate data.
The Concussion Awareness and Education Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Secretary of the Department of Defense (DoD) where applicable, to conduct systemic research on the treatment, surveillance and prevention of concussion injuries.
In addition, this legislation also seeks to establish the Concussion Research Commission, under the direction of the Secretary of HHS, to identify and formulate systemic recommendations to address key components of concussion research, surveillance, education, treatment and prevention.
Representatives Joyce Beatty and Ann Wagner have joined together to address much needed concussive related research, prevention, and treatments in America.
“This legislation is about protecting our nation’s youth. We can, and must, do better in coordinating research on the causes of concussive injuries and protecting the overall brain health of student athletes and military trainees.”
“Our bill will ensure that those who suffer from brain injuries receive effective treatment and enable them to return to society and the sport or activity they love, as healthy and productive as possible.”
“I thank my good friend Congresswoman Wagner for working with me on such an important issue,” stated Congresswoman Beatty.
Congresswoman Ann Wagner stated, "I am proud to join Congresswoman Beatty on such important legislation and I applaud her leadership on this issue. As a mother, I believe it is important to protect our student athletes. This bill is a great first step by creating a comprehensive system for gathering research on how best to treat and prevent concussions."