Member of MJFF Board of Directors, Akbar Gbajabiamila, and Representative Subramanyam (D-VA) at the bill reintroduction press conference on Capitol Hill.
On March 4, 2026, Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) reintroduced the Harmonizing Environmental Analyses and Launching Therapeutic Hubs to Yield Bolstered Research And Innovation in Neurological Science (HEALTHY BRAINS) Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at deepening scientific understanding of environmental links to Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Speakers at the Capitol Hill press conference included former Representative Jennifer Wexton, who lives with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and retired from Congress in January 2025. Wexton and Bilirakis introduced the HEALTHY BRAINS Act in the House of Representatives in August 2024.The bill did not advance before the conclusion of the 118th Congress and therefore had to be reintroduced in the current 119th Congress.
Akbar Gbajabiamila, co-host of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior and a member of The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s (MJFF) Board of Directors, also spoke at the press conference, sharing his personal connection to Parkinson’s disease. His father was diagnosed in the late 1990s.
What This Legislation Means for Parkinson’s Research
Genetics play a role in Parkinson’s, but they don’t explain overall risk. A growing body of research points to environmental exposures as important contributors. Understanding how these exposures influence disease risk is critical to advancing prevention efforts.
By identifying and reducing harmful environmental factors, researchers and policymakers can work to lower risk for future generations. The HEALTHY BRAINS Act aims to accelerate that work.
The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish Collaborative Centers for Neurodegenerative Disease Environmental Research that would:
- Conduct and support research on environmental risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS and atypical parkinsonisms like PSP.
- Drive federal collaboration with researchers, health care professionals, nonprofit organizations, patients and care partners.
- Develop a nationwide data system and public clearinghouse to share knowledge and information about environmental risk factors for brain diseases.
“Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonisms are the fastest-growing neurological conditions in the world, affecting more than 1.2 million Americans today,” said Dan Feehan, chief policy and government affairs officer at MJFF. “By investing in dedicated research centers and strengthening collaboration across sectors, this bipartisan legislation advances a smarter, more coordinated federal response to understanding and addressing environmental risk factors for these diseases.”
“This bipartisan legislation advances a smarter, more coordinated federal response to understanding and addressing environmental risk factors for these diseases.”
Join Us to Help Advance the HEALTHY BRAINS Act
MJFF calls on members of the House of Representatives to cosponsor the HEALTHY BRAINS Act for the millions of Americans living with neurodegenerative diseases today and in the future. A companion Senate bill has not yet been introduced, but we look forward to working with Senate offices to build bipartisan support for the bill.
Attendees of the 2026 Parkinson's Policy Forum on Capitol Hill will be meeting with members of Congress to ask for their support of this bill from March 15-18, 2026.
You can ask your own members of Congress during the virtual Parkinson’s National Day of Action on April 7, 2026. During the Day of Action, thousands of advocates will send emails and make calls to legislators to urge their support on critical Parkinson’s policy priorities. Sign up for our Parkinson’s Policy Network to receive an email from our Director of Advocacy when it’s time to take action!