April 30, 2026
Ms. Murkowski (for herself and Mr. Coons) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To amend the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act to reauthorize the provisions of such Act through fiscal year 2031, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Reauthorization of Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act
(a) In general
Section 7 of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (Public Law 117–79) is amended by striking 2026
and inserting 2031
.
(b) Grants for ALS research
Section 2(f) of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (21 U.S.C. 360ee note) is amended by striking 2026
and inserting 2031
.
Sec. 3. Improvements to program for grants for research on therapies for ALS
(a) Clinical trial status review
Section 2(b) of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (21 U.S.C. 360ee note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(4) Clinical trial status review
(A) In general
In reviewing applications for renewals of a grant awarded under this section with respect to an investigational drug, the Secretary shall assess the status of a clinical trial carried out for such drug with respect to data on enrollment of patients in such clinical trial.
(B) Interim clinical trial data
To enable the Secretary to make the assessment under subparagraph (A) with respect to an investigational drug, the Secretary shall request that the manufacturer of the investigational drug share interim clinical trial data with respect to such drug with the Secretary.
(b) Clarifying participating clinical trial definition
Section 2(e) of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (21 U.S.C. 360ee note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(4)
The term phase 3, with respect to a clinical trial, includes a phase 2/3 combined trial and a planned phase 3 clinical trial that is not yet enrolling participants.
Sec. 4. Report on ALS and other rare neurodegenerative disease action plans
Section 4 of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (21 U.S.C. 360aa note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(c) Report on ALS and other rare neurodegenerative disease action plans
Not later than one year after the date of enactment of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs shall publish on the website of the Food and Drug Administration a report that contains—
(1)
an updated action plan, including—
(A)
a description of the actions the Food and Drug Administration intends to take during the 5-year period following publication of the plan with respect to the program enhancements, policy development, regulatory science initiatives, and other appropriate initiatives described in subsection (a);
(B)
a description of the resources necessary to implement each section of the plan within such 5-year period; and
(C)
specific approaches the Commissioner will take to improve coordination of implementation of the plan with rare neurodegenerative disease communities that are not specifically ALS communities; and
(2)
with respect to the Action Plan for Rare Neurodegenerative Diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) published by the Food and Drug Administration on June 23, 2022 (referred to in this section as the
2022 Action Plan), a description of—(A)
the actions taken by the Food and Drug Administration under the 2022 Action Plan;
(B)
the effect of the implementation of the 2022 Action Plan on the development of therapies and regulatory consideration of therapies for ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases;
(C)
any programs and initiatives that established or carried out as part of the implementation of the 2022 Action Plan; and
(D)
the extent to which the 2022 Action Plan was implemented with respect to rare neurodegenerative diseases that are not amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Sec. 5. GAO report
Section 6 of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (Public Law 117–79) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(1)
by striking 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act
and inserting 5 years after the date of enactment of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026
; and
(2)
by inserting , with respect to the 10-year period starting on the date of enactment of this Act
after containing
.