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Read. Follow. Verify.The BRAIN Act (Bolstering Research And Innovation Now Act)
Last action · April 8, 2025: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.Sponsors: Richard Blumenthal and 14 others
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What This Bill Would Do
The BRAIN Act proposes new federal initiatives to accelerate research into brain tumor treatments, improve patient access to clinical trials, and increase public awareness of cancer testing. It mandates transparency for NIH-funded brain tumor tissue collections and authorizes $50 million annually for research.
This bill would authorize $50 million in annual federal funding from 2026 through 2030 for research and establish new reporting requirements for researchers holding NIH-funded brain tumor tissue samples.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Brain tumor patients and families
Patients may see changes in clinical trial access, care monitoring programs, and the development of new immunotherapy treatments.
Medical researchers and institutions
Researchers receiving NIH funding must comply with new reporting requirements for biospecimen collections and may apply for new competitive research grants.
National Institutes of Health
The agency is tasked with establishing new research networks, public websites for biospecimen tracking, and oversight mechanisms for compliance.
Key Facts
- Authorizes $50 million in annual appropriations for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network.
- Requires individuals or entities holding NIH-funded brain tumor biospecimens to report collection details to the NIH Director.
- Existing biospecimen collections must be reported within 180 days of enactment; new collections must be reported within 60 days.
- Establishes an oversight mechanism for biospecimen reporting, including the potential to withhold funding for repeated or egregious violations.
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- Directs the NIH to create a searchable public website detailing the existence and location of NIH-funded brain tumor biospecimen collections.
- Mandates the creation of a multi-institutional research program for brain tumor cellular immunotherapy, including CAR-T treatments for adults and children.
- Directs the FDA to issue guidance aimed at ensuring brain tumor patient access to clinical trials.
- Requires a national public awareness campaign regarding cancer clinical trials and biomarker testing.
- Establishes pilot programs to study and evaluate monitoring and care approaches for brain tumor survivors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'covered biospecimen collection' under this bill?
How will the bill affect researchers who hold brain tumor samples?
What is the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Apr 8, 2025SenateCommitteeRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Apr 8, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
on behalf of Cleveland Clinic Foundation
2026
“Quantum computing Immigration Issues National Institute of Health CHILDReN Act EARLY Minds Act Interoperability Issues Brain Health 340B Graduate Medical Education Workforce Issues Payer Accountability Organ Transplant Legislation Healthy Competition Act Price Transparency ”
HEALTH AND MEDICINE COUNSEL, LLC
on behalf of VOICES AGAINST BRAIN CANCER
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
2024
“Telehealth Artificial intelligence Quantum legislation National Institutes of Health Reform Medical Nutrition Therapy Act The REDUCE Act Amputation Reduction and Compassion Act Affordable housing School-based health Food insecurity Breast cancer innovation Traumatic Brain Injury Technology Graduate Medical Education Reform Wage index Tax Exempt Status ”
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
on behalf of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
2022
“SANE Act Telehealth (H.R.4040) Hospital-at-Home Food insecurity NQF Funding Brain Health NIH Reform No Surprise Act implementation ”
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Increased Oversight of NIH-funded Research
The bill introduces a formal oversight mechanism that explicitly links the withholding of federal funding to non-compliance with biospecimen reporting requirements.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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