Index for HR3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Waxman, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Andrews) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 765 (42 U.S.C. 295) is amended to read as follows:

“(a) Program.—The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall establish a public health workforce training and enhancement program consisting of awarding grants and contracts under subsection (b).

“(b) Grants and contracts.—The Secretary shall award grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities—

“(1) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in, an accredited professional training program in the field of public health (including such a program in nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine) for members of the public health workforce, including midcareer professionals;

“(2) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to students who are participants in any such program and who plan to specialize or work in the field of public health;

“(3) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in a program for the training of public health professionals who plan to teach in any program described in paragraph (1); and

“(4) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to public health professionals who are participants in any program described in paragraph (1) and who plan to teach in the field of public health, including nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine.

“(c) Eligibility.—To be eligible for a grant or contract under this section, an entity shall be—

“(1) an accredited health professions school, including an accredited school or program of public health; nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine;

“(2) a State, local, or tribal health department;

“(3) a public or private nonprofit entity; or

“(4) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (3).

“(d) Preference.—In awarding grants or contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of at least one of the following:

“(1) Training a high or significantly improved percentage of public health professionals who serve in underserved communities.

“(2) Training individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented among public health professionals).

“(3) Training individuals in public health specialties experiencing a significant shortage of public health professionals (as determined by the Secretary).

“(4) Training a high or significantly improved percentage of public health professionals serving in the Federal Government or a State, local, or tribal government.

“(e) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the program carried out under this section.”.