Former Saints safety Steve Gleason is considered a hero to the people of New Orleans after he blocked a punt in the team's first game back at the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
But now, he's considered a hero to the ALS community after the U.S. House passed the Steve Gleason Act on Wednesday,
NBC Sports reports.
Since 2011, Gleason has been living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function.
With the disease affecting his ability to speak, Gleason uses a speech generating device (SGD) to help him communicate. But under changes to Medicare last year, the communication devices were no longer covered, according to NBC Sports.
"Last year sweeping changes were made at Medicare. I was shocked to learn that those changes would include Medicare stripping communication devices (SGDs) from people whose only means of communication was those very devices," Gleason said on his website,
TeamGleason.org. "In a Washington Post op-ed, I called it a human rights violation."
The bill, known as the Steve Gleason Act of 2015, was sponsored by Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana, and according to Majority Whip Steve Scalise, "will ensure that people with disabilities have more options when seeking treatments, cures, and independence,"
Fox Sports reports.
It was approved in the Senate in an April voice vote, the
New Orleans Times-Picuyane reported, and now moves to President Barack Obama to sign.
"The Steve Gleason Act seemed like a long shot. It was given only a 2 percent chance of passing, but the ALS community never waved the white flag" Gleason said in an announcement on his website.
Gleason added, "People, like myself, who are literally voiceless, were heard. Loud and clear. This legislation may have my name on it, but please know it is the ALS community and the diligent legislators who deserve our applause."
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