Congress coordinates federal epilepsy research and care for 3 million Americans
H.R. 1189 — National Plan for Epilepsy Act · Filed by Jim Costa (D-CA) · 96 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 11, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain a National Plan for Epilepsy—a coordinated federal research and care initiative to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure epilepsy. The bill creates an advisory council with federal officials, patients, caregivers, researchers, and nonprofit representatives; requires annual assessments and reports to Congress on progress; and mandates data-sharing across federal agencies to improve outcomes for the 3 million adults and 456,000 children with epilepsy in the U.S. The program sunsets in 2035.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is establishing a federal research coordination and advisory structure for epilepsy—a straightforward public health planning and accountability measure with no private carve-outs or immunity grants.
What the text implies
- The bill's sunset clause (Dec. 31, 2035) means the National Plan will terminate unless Congress reauthorizes it, creating a potential gap in federal epilepsy coordination if reauthorization is delayed or blocked.
- Data-sharing requirements across federal agencies may surface previously siloed information about epilepsy prevalence and outcomes, potentially revealing disparities in care access that could drive future policy demands.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
pharmaceutical companies developing epilepsy treatments; medical device manufacturers (seizure detection/management devices); research institutions receiving federal epilepsy research grants