BEACON Act of 2026
Congress Proposes $60 Million for New Veteran Brain Injury Research and Suicide Prevention Programs
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill creates a new grant program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to find better ways to treat veterans with mild traumatic brain injuries. It focuses on brain rehabilitation, which helps the brain recover and function better after an injury, specifically for those dealing with long-term symptoms.
- The program would give up to $5 million per year to universities, nonprofits, and private healthcare providers to test new treatments. These projects will focus on care that puts the patient first and explores options that do not rely only on traditional drugs or medicine.
- A major goal of this research is to improve mental health and lower the risk of suicide among veterans. By finding better ways to treat brain injuries, the program aims to reduce depression and substance use issues that often affect those who have suffered head trauma during their military service.
- The plan would run for three years and includes $30 million for the main treatment grants plus another $10 million each year for independent research studies. The VA would be required to report back to Congress on which treatments work best so they can be used more widely in the future.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articles
Veterans' 2026 Priorities Put Health Care, Suicide Prevention to Congress
Lawmakers are pushing the BEACON Act as a top 2026 priority to address the veteran suicide crisis by expanding access to innovative, non-pharmacological TBI treatments outside of traditional VA facilities.
Bergman, Elfreth Introduce BEACON Act to expand care for veterans with traumatic brain injury
Bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Bergman and Elfreth seeks to modernize VA brain injury care through two new grant programs targeting neurorehabilitation and independent research.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
BEACON Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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