Community Advocates, Including Co-Founders Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya and I AM ALS Ambassadors Late Actor Eric Dane and Former Pro Wrestler Tanea “Rebel” Brooks, Drive Landmark Win Securing Up to $500 Million in Funding and Therapy Access, and a Continued Path to a Cure
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I AM ALS Celebration Video for ACT for ALS
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — I AM ALS and its national force of advocates are celebrating as the President signed the ACT for ALS reauthorization bill into law. This comes after the Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent with just hours left until the law expired, even after the House went home early. The I AM ALS community first identified a major gap in access to investigational treatments and co-authored the original ACT for ALS Act to address it in 2021. Now, with years of success underway, the law has five more years to scale research infrastructure and treatment access, representing an investment of up to an additional $500 million for ALS.
“Over the past 7+ years, this community has changed what’s possible in ALS,” said I AM ALS co-founder Brian Wallach. “The I AM ALS community’s leadership has brought us closer than ever to a cure by unlocking over $2 billion for federal ALS research, expanding and protecting access to life-changing therapies, and accelerating scientific breakthroughs. We thank our ALS congressional champions—including sponsors Senators Coons (D-DE) and Murkowski (R-AK) and Representatives Quigley (D-IL-05) and Calvert (R-CA-41)—and all the tireless advocates who helped renew this historic legislation for five more years.”
Today’s law passage is groundbreaking and thanks to the significant efforts of I AM ALS’ community-led movement. Since ACT for ALS was first signed into law, I AM ALS has monitored and reported on the ground-breaking success of its implementation. Leading into the reauthorization year, I AM ALS built and deployed a comprehensive, multi-pronged advocacy campaign, including:
Building and strengthening relationships with Congressional champions,Deploying a vast grassroots army of volunteer leaders from across the country,Partnering with researchers, other organizations, and celebrity ambassadors—most notably the late actor Eric Dane and professional wrestler Tanea “Rebel” Brooks—to strengthen and amplify our message, andEngaging with top experts in government affairs and public relations.
This year alone, I AM ALS held more than 430 in-person and virtual advocacy meetings and calls, secured more than 38,000 online actions, sent more than 95,000 emails, and gathered more than 20,100 petition signatures in the final weeks before expiration.
Unlike any other legislation the neurodegenerative landscape has ever seen, ACT for ALS has already invested hundreds of millions of dollars into ALS research, provided investigational therapy access for more than 800 patients who would not otherwise have qualified, and built lasting infrastructure for future learnings.
“These past months didn’t just get a critical bill passed; they inspired a community that continually renews itself, welcomes new advocates, develops new leaders, and ensures that every generation is ready to fight for the next breakthrough,” said Troy Fields, volunteer co-chair of the I AM ALS legislative affairs team, and person living with ALS. “ALS is relentless, but we continue to prove so are we.”
“For the past five years, the ACT for ALS has advanced scientific research and helped people with ALS access the promising treatments they need. This reauthorization of the bill continues that work and lends hope to a future where there is a cure for ALS,” said Congressman Quigley. “I’m glad this important bill was signed into law, and I’m thankful to my colleagues in both the House and the Senate for getting this done.”
“I’m thrilled that the ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act has been signed into law, renewing our commitment to finding cures and treatments for ALS,” said Rep. Calvert. “As a Co-Chair of the bipartisan ALS Caucus, I know just how hard those impacted by ALS have worked to get this bill enacted and I applaud their tireless advocacy. With the ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act officially signed into law, we celebrate this victory while remaining focused on the work ahead to end this terrible disease.”
I AM ALS is calling on supporters to thank the Congressional champions who helped make this law possible at bit.ly/A4A-TY
About I AM ALS
I AM ALS is a nonprofit organization leading what STAT News called the most successful patient advocacy campaign this century. We built a community movement to harness collective power and find treatments and a cure for ALS faster, while also creating lasting, systemic change. Our focus is on three areas:
Advocating for federal policy change to drive research, support, and treatments for ALS.Improving quality of life by providing volunteer and support opportunities to advocates and people living with ALS.Mobilizing and empowering advocates to raise awareness about ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, and increase visibility of the ALS experience.
Learn more at www.iamals.org
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SOURCE I AM ALS
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