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          Pac-12 Blog

          Steve Gleason Act awaits presidential approval

          • Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff WriterJul 15, 2015, 07:15 PM ET
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            • Covers the Pac-12.
            • Joined ESPN in 2014.
            • Attended Washington State University.
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          A bill named in honor of former Washington State football player Steve Gleason will head to President Barack Obama's desk for approval.

          The Steve Gleason Act will make speech-generating devices, similar to the one used by Gleason, more accessible for those who suffer from ALS and other neurological disorders through Medicare and Medicaid. Gleason announced in 2011 that he was diagnosed with ALS and uses his eyes to communicate effectively through a computer.

          Gleason, who also played baseball at WSU before a seven-year career in the NFL, was the lone inductee to the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame last year.