,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #afji ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #f1 #bjbe,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself and ,mr4 ,mullin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to provide for further comprehensive research at the ,national ,institute of ,neurological ,disorders and ,stroke on unruptured intracranial aneurysms4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ellie ,helton1 ,lisa ,colagrossi1 ,kristen ,shafer ,englert1 ,teresa ,anne ,lawrence1 and ,jennifer ,sedney ,focused ,research ,act or ,ellie's ,law4 #b4 ,findings ,the ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,an estimated #f1hjj1jjj people in the ,united ,states1 or #a in #ej people1 have an unruptured brain aneurysm4 7#b7 ,each year1 an estimated #cj1jjj people in the ,united ,states suffer a brain aneurysm rupture4 ,ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about #ej percent of cases4 ,of those who survive1 about #ff percent suffer some permanent neurological deficit4 7#c7 ,brain aneurysms are more likely to occur in women1 and are nearly twice as likely to rupture in ,african ,american and ,hispanic individuals4 ,ellie's ,law represents all those who have been affected and died due to a ruptured brain aneurysm1 and their loved ones4 ,the personal stories of individuals who have recently experienced a brain aneurysm rupture include the following3 7,a7 ,ellie ,helton4 ,on ,july #af1 #bjad1 ,ellie ,helton1 a vibrant1 loving #ad-year-old from ,apex1 ,north ,carolina1 passed away as a result of a ruptured aneurysm1 stunning her parents1 #b sisters1 and many1 many loved ones4 ,a day earlier1 on her second day of high school1 she woke up with a terrible headache after a plum-sized aneurysm on her brain stem ruptured4 ,while she suffered headaches throughout her life1 she was never diagnosed4 ,ellie was an avid reader and excellent student1 loved the arts1 and was incredibly creative4 ,she had an unwavering1 constant love for the family and friends in her life4 7,b7 ,lisa ,colagrossi4 ,on ,march #bj1 #bjae1 ,lisa ,colagrossi--,,wabc ,eyewitness ,news reporter1 wife of #ag years1 and mother of #b sons--unexpectedly passed away at the age of #di years after suffering a massive ruptured brain aneurysm4 ,despite experiencing one of the classic warning signs of a brain aneurysm 7the worst headache of my life71 ,lisa's passing came as a tremendous shock to her family and friends1 who did not know what a brain aneurysm was1 let alone its signs and symptoms4 ,she is remembered for being a loving wife1 a mother1 and a successful reporter1 and for her love of the ,new ,york ,rangers4 7,c7 ,kristen ,shafer ,englert4 ,on ,november #bd1 #bjac1 ,kristen ,shafer ,englert1 a devoted wife1 mother1 daughter1 sister1 aunt1 and friend passed away from a ruptured brain aneurysm at the age of #be1 just weeks after giving birth to her son4 ,prior to her passing1 she went to the emergency room with symptoms of a brain aneurysm and was sent home without a scan4 ,kristen was a dedicated teacher who loved children4 ,she was thrilled to become a mother4 ,sadly1 she got to experience motherhood only for a few short days4 ,kristen's family members have been dedicated advocates for brain aneurysm awareness and research since her passing4 7,d7 ,teresa ,anne ,lawrence4 ,on ,december #h1 #aihc1 ,teresa ,anne ,lawrence1 a devoted mother of #c1 beloved wife1 and staple of her community1 collapsed while visiting her son's school4 ,she had been struggling with and taking medication for hypertension for several years4 ,at age #cd1 after being unconscious for #d days1 she passed away as a result of a brain aneurysm4 ,her loving husband and extended family were left to raise their children1 whom ,teresa cherished so much4 7,e7 ,jennifer ,sedney4 ,on ,december #be1 #bjac1 ,jennifer ,sedney1 a beautiful1 accomplished young woman1 passed away suddenly at the age of #bg from a ruptured brain aneurysm4 ,her only symptom was the worst headache of her life1 which none of her friends or family realized was a symptom of a potentially fatal condition4 ,jenny was a jogger1 a disciplined exerciser1 and a successful health care consultant and had recently launched a health blog founded on #c principles--bee curious1 bee radiant1 bee well4 ,her brother1 mother1 father1 and a large devoted network of friends and relatives remember her every day4 7#d7 ,brain aneurysm ruptures have a significant fiscal impact on survivors1 caretakers1 and the health care community4 ,the annual estimated pre-insurance direct cost of brain aneurysm ruptures to patients is approximately #b1jjj1jjj1jjj1 and the median expected patient payment is #add1jjj4 ,the length of stay in an intensive care unit is the largest driver of cost for brain aneurysm ruptures1 and estimates do not reflect indirect costs1 including travel1 food1 childcare1 and wage losses for the patient and caretakers4 7#e7 ,despite the widespread prevalence of this condition and the high societal cost it imposes on the ,nation1 the ,federal ,government only spends approximately #b4id per year on brain aneurysm research for each person afflicted with a brain aneurysm4 7#f7 ,the first #c iterations of the ,international ,study on ,unruptured ,intracranial ,aneurysms 7,,isuia7 have advanced researchers' and clinicians' understanding of how to most effectively manage and treat unruptured intracranial aneurysms4 #c4 ,funding 7a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,to conduct or support further comprehensive research on unruptured intracranial aneurysms1 studying a broader patient population diversified by age1 sex1 and race1 there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,national ,institute of ,neurological ,disorders and ,stroke #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcj1 to remain available through ,september #cj1 #bjcc4 7b7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,any funds made available pursuant to this section shall supplement1 not supplant1 other funding made available for research on brain aneurysms4