S. 2912: Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-05-10 · Health · Latest: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-05-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act of 2016

Plain summary

Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act of 2016 This bill bars the federal government from prohibiting or restricting the production, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, or dispensing of an experimental drug, biological product, or device that is: (1) intended to treat a patient who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness; and (2) authorized by, and in accordance with, state law. The federal government may not restrict the possession or use of such a treatment by a patient certified by a physician as having exhausted all other treatment options. A producer, manufacturer, distributor, prescriber, dispenser, possessor, or user of such a treatment has no liability regarding the treatment. The outcome of production, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, dispensing, possession, or use of such a treatment may not be used by a federal agency to adversely impact review or approval of the treatment. The treatment must: (1) have successfully completed a phase 1 (initial, small scale) clinical trial; (2) remain under investigation in a clinical trial approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and (3) not be approved, licensed, or cleared for sale under the Federal Food, Drug, or Cosmetic Act or the Public Health Service Act. Not later than 30 days after enactment of this bill, and every 30 days thereafter until implementation is complete, the FDA must report on its progress in implementing a streamlined application process for compassionate use of experimental drugs and biological products.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] · 43 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tom Cotton (R-AR), James E. Risch (R-ID), John Boozman (R-AR), John Barrasso (R-WY), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Lankford (R-OK), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Rand Paul (R-KY), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s2912.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s2912 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114