Scalise Announces ACT for ALS Bill to Come to House Floor For Vote Next Week

WASHINGTON, D.C.—House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) announced that H.R. 3537, the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (ACT for ALS), will be brought to the House Floor for consideration next week. This comes after the bill passed unanimously out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote on November 17.

Whip Scalise is a cosponsor of ACT for ALS, which is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would establish grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. These grants would help fund early access to ALS investigational therapies for patients who are unable to participate in clinical trials.

Click here or on the image above to view Whip Scalise's remarks.

"It is great news that we were able to secure a House Floor vote next week on the ACT for ALS bill, and this is a strong step forward for so many people who are diagnosed with ALS. I am proud to be a cosponsor of ACT for ALS, and am honored to work with Steve Gleason, who also championed this bill as part of his tireless work to ensure people battling ALS have more opportunities when seeking treatment, cures, and independence to live their lives to the fullest. That's exactly what this legislation does by advancing key research and advancing treatments, and this is a huge step forward to improve lives and inspire others to never give up," said House Republican Whip Steve Scalise.

"When I was diagnosed with ALS, there were few trials and options available to me. That is still true today and for the majority of people diagnosed with ALS. With more active research in ALS now than ever before, the ACT for ALS will help break down many of those barriers to trials and potential treatments for people living with the disease. Thank you Congressman Scalise and all the co-sponsors of this unprecedented legislation that will give patients needed options and may very well save lives,"said Steve Gleason, co-founder of Team Gleason.