Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026
Where it stands
- Introduced4/6/26
- Passed HousePassed 7/22/26
- SenatePassed 9/28/26
- PresidentSigned 11/3/26
- LawPublic Law 119-138
Passed the House by voice vote on July 22, 2026. Passed the Senate by voice vote on September 28, 2026. Became Public Law 119-138 on November 3, 2026.
Passed by voice vote or unanimous consent — no individual positions were recorded.
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026
This act reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises programs that support research and development of drugs and other therapies to address amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The act reauthorizes
grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for scientific research on investigational drugs to prevent or treat ALS for individuals not otherwise eligible for clinical trials,
grants from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for research and development of therapies to prevent and treat ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, and
a Public-Private Partnership including the FDA and NIH that supports development and regulatory review of treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Also, the NIH, in considering renewal of its grants, must assess available information on the safety and efficacy of the investigational drugs. It must also require grantees to promptly report serious and unexpected adverse events associated with their investigational drugs.
Additionally, the FDA must publish a plan describing actions it will take over a five-year period to foster development of safe and effective drugs, and facilitate access to investigational drugs, that treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The FDA must also publish a report describing the actions it has taken under the plan.
What happens next
Became Public Law 119-138.
All actions (24)
- 4/6/26Introduced in House
- 4/6/26Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 4/6/26Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- 5/13/26Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 5/13/26Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
- 5/21/26Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 5/21/26Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.
- 7/9/26Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-733.
- 7/9/26Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 637.
- 7/20/26Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 7/20/26Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4652-4654; text: CR H4653)
- 7/20/26DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8205.
- 7/20/26At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Guthrie objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
- 7/22/26Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5159)
- 7/22/26Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- 7/22/26On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- 7/22/26Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 7/23/26Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 466.
- 9/28/26Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S5120)
- 9/28/26Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S5120)
- 10/14/26Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 10/26/26Presented to President.
- 11/3/26Signed by President.
- 11/3/26Became Public Law No: 119-138.