Trump signs ALS and religious freedom commission bills into law

President Donald Trump signed two bills into law on 3 November, renewing federal measures on access to ALS therapies and extending the authorisation of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, the White House said.

H.R. 8205 reauthorises the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act through fiscal year 2031, including provisions for ALS research grants. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a neurodegenerative disease.

The law also requires officials reviewing renewals of research grants for investigational ALS drugs to request and assess enrolment, safety and any available efficacy data from the manufacturer or sponsor. The Food and Drug Administration must publish an action plan on rare neurodegenerative diseases within 18 months.

H.R. 1744 extends the religious freedom commission’s authorisation to 31 December 2028. It authorises appropriations for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 and for the final three months of 2028. An authorisation does not itself allocate funding.