HR7779-119

What This Bill Does

The HEALTHY BRAINS Act of 2026 amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program for research, training, and health information dissemination on environmental risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases. The research must focus on environmental toxicants and stressors such as volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, PFAS, heavy metals, and exposures in air, water, food, and soil. It also covers mechanisms linking toxicants to disease, presymptomatic markers, and prevention, management, treatment, or slowing of disease progression.

The bill directs HHS to coordinate across its programs, expand funding for environmental health research, and submit biennial reports to appropriations and health committees while posting those reports publicly. It creates Collaborative Centers for Neurodegenerative Disease Environmental Research at institutions of higher education, medical centers, and other appropriate entities. Those centers must conduct and support basic, applied, population-based, and clinical research; coordinate with HHS efforts; and work with researchers, health professionals, nonprofit organizations, patients, and caregivers.

Centers may provide stipends, train researchers and health professionals, disseminate research findings, build a nationwide data system, create an Environmental Contributions to Neurodegenerative Disease Information Clearinghouse, and establish a national education program. Support generally lasts up to five years, with possible peer-reviewed extensions. The bill authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

Who Benefits and How

Environmental health researchers, universities, medical centers, and collaborative research consortia benefit from new federal funding, centers, stipends, data systems, and clearinghouse infrastructure. Patients with neurodegenerative diseases and caregivers benefit if research identifies environmental contributors, presymptomatic markers, and prevention or treatment strategies. Health professionals benefit from continuing education and better information about environmental risk factors.

Who Bears the Burden and How

HHS research agencies must create and coordinate the program, oversee centers, avoid duplication, post reports, and report biennially to Congress. Collaborative Centers must meet federal qualifications, coordinate with HHS, collaborate with stakeholders, manage data and public information activities, and undergo peer review for extensions. Federal health research appropriations bear $50 million per year in authorized costs from fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

Key Provisions

• Establishes an HHS program for research, training, and information dissemination on environmental risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases.
• Focuses research on toxicants including volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, PFAS, heavy metals, and exposures in air, water, food, and soil.
• Requires HHS coordination and biennial public reports to congressional appropriations and health committees.
• Creates Collaborative Centers at universities, medical centers, and other qualified entities.
• Allows centers to provide training stipends, public education, data systems, a clearinghouse, and national education programs.
• Limits center support to five years unless peer review supports extensions.
• Authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.