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S. 494119th CongressPassed one chamberLatest action Aug 10, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
S 494 would require a national epilepsy action plan through 2035 and a new advisory council reporting to Congress.
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S 494 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a formal written plan coordinating epilepsy research, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention across federal agencies including NIH, CDC, FDA, and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The plan would run through the end of 2035. The bill also establishes an Advisory Council that must meet at least four times a year, hold public meetings, and submit regular recommendations to Congress.
The bill most directly affects the roughly 3.4 million Americans living with epilepsy, along with their families and caregivers. It would also affect doctors, researchers, and federal agencies required to share data and coordinate efforts.
The bill creates a structured coordination mechanism for existing and future federal epilepsy efforts but does not establish or fund new programs on its own. The Secretary would be required to submit yearly progress reports to Congress, adding an ongoing accountability layer to federal epilepsy policy.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: it passed the Senate, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Held at the desk.