H.R. 3537 · 117th Congress

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act

Introduced on May 25, 2021 by Mike Quigley (D-IL-5). 331 cosponsors, 145 of them from another party. Became Public Law 117-79.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-79
Introduced
May 25, 2021
Cosponsors
331
145 from the other party
Policy area
Health
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

Official title

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to support research on, and expanded access to, investigational drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
  • Drug therapy
  • Government information and archives
  • Health care coverage and access
  • Health programs administration and funding
  • Health promotion and preventive care
  • Higher education
  • Medical research
  • Medical tests and diagnostic methods
  • Neurological disorders
  • Prescription drugs
  • Public-private cooperation
  • Research administration and funding
  • Research and development
  • Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Dec 23, 2021). Public domain.

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act

This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities for scientific research utilizing data from expanded access to investigational ALS treatments for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

HHS shall also establish the Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and at least one eligible entity (generally, an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization). The partnership shall support the development and regulatory review of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The FDA shall publish on its website a five-year action plan for fostering the development of drugs that improve or extend the lives of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress about the grants provided under this bill, including an analysis of the impact of such grants on research and development of treatments for ALS.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Mike QuigleyD-IL-5Sponsor

Democrats · 186

Republicans · 145

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
    Dec 8, 2021· House· Passage· Passed 423–3

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. May 25, 2021Introduced in House
  2. May 25, 2021Introduced in House
  3. May 25, 2021 · HouseReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  4. May 26, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  5. Nov 4, 2021 · HouseSubcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  6. Nov 4, 2021 · HouseForwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
  7. Nov 17, 2021 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  8. Nov 17, 2021 · HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  9. Dec 8, 2021Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 117-207.
  10. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 117-207.
  11. Dec 8, 2021 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 148.
  12. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseMr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  13. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7509-7514)
  14. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3537.
  15. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  16. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7535-7536)
  17. Dec 8, 2021Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 3 (Roll no. 415).(text: CR H7509-7511)House · Roll call 415
  18. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 3 (Roll no. 415). (text: CR H7509-7511)House · Roll call 415
  19. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  20. Dec 9, 2021 · SenateReceived in the Senate, read twice.
  21. Dec 16, 2021Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S9242)
  22. Dec 16, 2021 · SenatePassed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S9242)
  23. Dec 17, 2021 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  24. Dec 23, 2021Presented to President.
  25. Dec 23, 2021 · HousePresented to President.
  26. Dec 23, 2021Signed by President.
  27. Dec 23, 2021Signed by President.
  28. Dec 23, 2021Became Public Law No: 117-79.
  29. Dec 23, 2021Became Public Law No: 117-79.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 5, 2026 · loaded Oct 5, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.