text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Concussion Awareness and Education 
  Act of 2015''.
  
  SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
  
      The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
  
  Sec. 1. Short title.
  Sec. 2. Table of contents.
  Sec. 3. Findings; purposes.
  Sec. 4. Surveillance of sports-related concussions.
  Sec. 5. Research.
  Sec. 6. Dissemination of information.
  Sec. 7. Concussion Research Commission.
  
  SEC. 3. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.
  
      (a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
              (1) There is currently no comprehensive system for 
          acquiring accurate data on the incidence of sports- and 
          recreation-related concussions across youth age groups and 
          sports.
              (2) Overall, according to a report entitled ``Sports-
          Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing 
          the Culture'', issued by the National Academies in 2013, each 
          year in the United States, there are approximately 1.6 to 3.8 
          million sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain 
          injuries, including concussions and other head injuries. These 
          figures are based on conservative estimates.
              (3) Between 2001 and 2009, the reported number of our youth 
          ages 21 and under treated in an emergency department for 
          concussion and other non-fatal sports and recreation-related 
          traumatic brain injuries increased from 150,000 to 250,000.
              (4) Over the same time period between 2001 and 2009, the 
          rate of emergency room visits for concussive injuries increased 
          by 57 percent.
              (5) Yet, according to the National Academies there 
          currently is--
                      (A) a lack of data to accurately estimate the 
                  incidence of sports-related concussions across a 
                  variety of sports and for youth across the pediatric 
                  age spectrum; and
                      (B) no comprehensive system for acquiring accurate 
                  data on the incidence of sports- and recreation-related 
                  concussions across all youth age groups and sports.
              (6) Currently, there are significant information gaps in 
          the proper protocol for diagnosis and treatment of sports-
          related concussions and more research desperately is needed.
      (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
              (1) to increase awareness and knowledge about concussions 
          through development of, implementation of, and evaluation of 
          the effectiveness of, large-scale collaborative efforts and 
          research by entities including, but not limited to, national 
          sports associations, State high school associations, trainers' 
          associations, appropriate Federal entities, and other 
          stakeholders such as parents, coaches, and students; and
              (2) to change the culture (including social norms, 
          attitudes, and behaviors) surrounding concussions among 
          elementary school youth and their parents, coaches, sports 
          officials, educators, trainers, and health care professionals, 
          taking into account demographic variations across population 
          groups, where appropriate.
  
  SEC. 4. SURVEILLANCE OF SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSIONS.
  
      Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting 
  after section 317T of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-22) the following:
  
  ``SEC. 317U. SURVEILLANCE OF SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSIONS.
  
      ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
  acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
  Prevention, and taking into account other Federal data collection 
  efforts, shall--
              ``(1) establish and oversee a national system to accurately 
          determine the incidence of sports-related concussions among 
          youth; and
              ``(2) begin implementation of such system not later than 1 
          year after the date of enactment of the Concussion Awareness 
          and Education Act of 2015.
      ``(b) Data To Be Collected.--The data collected under subsection 
  (a) shall, to the extent feasible, include each of the following:
              ``(1) The incidence of sports related concussions in 
          individuals 5 through 21 years of age.
              ``(2) Demographic information of the injured individuals, 
          including age, sex, race, and ethnicity.
              ``(3) Pre-existing conditions of the injured individuals, 
          such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning 
          disabilities.
              ``(4) The concussion history of the injured individuals, 
          such as the number and dates of prior concussions.
              ``(5) The use of protective equipment and impact monitoring 
          devices.
              ``(6) The qualifications of personnel diagnosing the 
          concussions.
              ``(7) The cause, nature, and extent of the concussive 
          injury, including--
                      ``(A) the sport or activity involved;
                      ``(B) the recreational or competitive level of the 
                  sport or activity involved;
                      ``(C) the event type involved, including whether it 
                  was practice or competition;
                      ``(D) the impact location on the body;
                      ``(E) the impact nature, such as contact with a 
                  playing surface, another player, or equipment; and
                      ``(F) signs and symptoms consistent with a 
                  concussion.''.
  
  SEC. 5. RESEARCH.
  
      Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 
  et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
  
  ``SEC. 409K. RESEARCH ON CONCUSSIONS IN YOUTH.
  
      ``Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
  the Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015, the Director of NIH 
  shall conduct or support--
              ``(1) research designed to inform the creation of age-
          specific, evidence-based guidelines for the management of 
          short- and long-term sequelae of concussion in youth;
              ``(2) research on the effects of concussions and repetitive 
          head impacts on quality of life and the activities of daily 
          living;
              ``(3) research to identify predictors, and modifiers of 
          outcomes, of concussions in youth, including the influence of 
          socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sex, and comorbidities; 
          and
              ``(4) research on age- and sex-related biomechanical 
          determinants of injury risk for concussion in youth, including 
          how injury thresholds are modified by the number of and time 
          interval between head impacts and concussions.''.
  
  SEC. 6. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
  through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
  shall develop and disseminate to the public information regarding 
  concussions.
      (b) Arrangements With Other Entities.--In carrying out paragraph 
  (1), the Secretary may disseminate information through arrangements 
  with nonprofit organizations, consumer groups, Federal, State, or local 
  agencies, or the media.
  
  SEC. 7. CONCUSSION RESEARCH COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Establishment.--There is established a Concussion Research 
  Commission (referred to in this section as the ``Commission'').
      (b) Membership.--
              (1) Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of the 
          following nine members:
                      (A) Five shall be appointed by the President.
                      (B) One shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                  House of Representatives.
                      (C) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                  of the House of Representatives.
                      (D) One shall be appointed by the majority leader 
                  of the Senate.
                      (E) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                  of the Senate.
              (2) Qualifications.--To be eligible for appointment under 
          paragraph (1), an individual shall--
                      (A) have experience with research, treatment, and 
                  prevention with respect to all types of concussive 
                  injuries; and
                      (B) be a leading medical or scientific expert, or 
                  an otherwise authoritatively qualified expert, in one 
                  or more relevant fields.
              (3) Terms.--Each member of the Commission shall be 
          appointed for the life of the Commission.
              (4) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy 
          occurring before the expiration of the term for which the 
          member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for 
          the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the 
          expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken 
          office. A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
          manner in which the original appointment was made.
              (5) No pay.--The members of the Commission shall serve 
          without pay. Members of the Commission who are full-time 
          officers or employees of the United States or Members of 
          Congress may not receive additional pay, allowances, or 
          benefits by reason of their service on the Commission.
              (6) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall 
          receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
          subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under 
          subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
              (7) Resources.--The Secretary shall ensure that appropriate 
          personnel, funding, and other resources are provided to the 
          Committee to carry out its responsibilities.
      (c) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least 4 times each 
  year.
      (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
  head of any Federal department or agency may detail, without 
  reimbursement, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
  Commission to assist in carrying out this section.
      (e) Study.--The Commission shall--
              (1) study the programs and activities conducted pursuant to 
          this Act; and
              (2) based on the results of such programs and activities, 
          formulate systemic recommendations for furthering the purposes 
          of this Act, as described in section 3(b).
      (f) Review of National Academies Report.--The Commission shall 
  review the report of the National Academies entitled ``Sports-Related 
  Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture'' and 
  recommend corrections or updates to such report, as the Commission 
  determines appropriate.
      (g) Reporting.--
              (1) Interim reports.--Every 6 months, the Commission shall 
          submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an interim 
          report on the Commission's activities.
              (2) Final report.--Not later than 36 months after the date 
          of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the 
          appropriate committees of Congress, and make available to the 
          public, a final report on the results of the Commission's study 
          under subsection (e) and review under subsection (f).
      (h) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate upon the date of 
  submission of the final report required by subsection (g)(2), unless 
  the Secretary of Health and Human Services chooses to maintain the 
  Commission beyond such date.
target: Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015  Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) establish and oversee a national system to accurately determine the incidence of sports-related concussions among youth, and (2) begin implementation of such system within one year of this Act's enactment. Requires the data collected to include:   the incidence of sports related concussions in individuals 5 through 21 years of age; demographic information of the injured individuals; pre-existing conditions of the injured individuals; the concussion history of the injured individuals; the use of protective equipment and impact monitoring devices;  the qualifications of personnel diagnosing the concussions; and the cause, nature, and extent of the concussive injury.  Requires the National Institutes of Health to conduct or support:    research designed to inform the creation of guidelines for the management of short- and long-term sequelae of concussion in youth;  research on the effects of concussions and repetitive head impacts on quality of life and the activities of daily living; research to identify predictors, and modifiers of outcomes, of concussions in youth; and  research on age- and sex-related biomechanical determinants of injury risk for concussion in youth.  Requires CDC to develop and disseminate to the public information regarding concussions. Establishes a Concussion Research Commission, which shall study the programs and activities conducted pursuant to this Act and formulate systemic recommendations to increase knowledge about, and change the culture surrounding, concussions.
feat_title: Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015