[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1599 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1599

 To ensure an adequate supply of public health professionals, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 20, 2007

Mr. Jefferson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Ways and Means, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To ensure an adequate supply of public health professionals, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding, Rebuilding, and Improving 
Access to Qualified Health Care Professionals in Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita Affected Areas Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Studies state the New Orleans area is now home to one 
        million people, just under the pre-Katrina population of 1.3 
        million. But the health care resources necessary to adequately 
        serve that level of population have not returned: only half of 
        the previous 4,000 hospital beds are available; there is no 
        level I trauma center; there are 34 nursing homes, down from 
        63; and 19 clinics, down from 90.
            (2) According to recent statements in the ``New England 
        Journal of Medicine'', the health care situation in New Orleans 
        area remains unacceptably primitive. The absence of chronic 
        care facilities contributes to the lengthening of stay in acute 
        care hospitals whose costs exceed Centers for Medicare & 
        Medicaid Services reimbursement, and these additional 
        uncompensated expenses may soon force recently reopened 
        hospital beds to close again. Without rapid, coordinated, and 
        effective help from government agencies, it is feared that 
        disproportionate human suffering and death will continue to 
        plague greater New Orleans.
            (3) According to the Bureau of Health Professions, National 
        Center for Health Workforce Analysis, the Louisiana health care 
        system before Hurricane Katrina and Rita was struggling with a 
        shortage of primary care areas in 55 parishes and shortages of 
        physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, 
        dentists, psychologists, and social workers.
            (4) Health profession students, starting a new academic 
        year, were forced to evacuate the city. Many trainees from 
        Tulane University were relocated to Houston and Galveston in 
        Texas. Less than a month later, on 24 September, another 
        hurricane, Rita, hit land near the Louisiana-Texas border. Many 
        of the 5,000 medical students and doctors in training in Texas 
        were evacuated again.
            (5) Prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana had the 
        highest cost of health care in the Nation, but was rated the 
        least healthiest State with the second highest infant mortality 
        rate, the highest rate of premature deaths, and the third 
        highest uninsured rate.
            (6) After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana lost vast 
        amounts of medical services (preventive, primary care, acute, 
        emergency, critical care, surgical, subspecialty, maternity, 
        gynecologic, family planning, sexually transmitted disease 
        treatment, psychiatric/mental health, rehabilitation, 
        administrative, diagnostic imaging, and laboratory).
            (7) After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana lost over 
        7,500 health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, 
        allied health care professionals, dentists, medial support 
        providers, public health professionals, behavioral specialists, 
        mental health workers, and physical therapists.
            (8) New Orleans' only certified level I trauma unit is 
        still closed as of October 2006, and the number of staffed 
        hospital beds in the City of New Orleans was about 60 percent 
        less than before Hurricane Katrina. Prior to Katrina, 90 
        clinics were in operation, including 70 clinics run by the 
        Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans, with the remainder 
        being federally qualified health centers, mental health or 
        addictive disorder clinics, or other specialty clinics. Post-
        hurricane, 19 clinics were open and generally operating at less 
        than 50 percent of pre-Katrina capacity.
            (9) More than three-fourths of the safety net clinics in 
        New Orleans remain closed, and many of those that were open had 
        limited capacity, according to data gathered by officials.

SEC. 3. HURRICANE KATRINA AND RITA PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE SCHOLARSHIP 
              AND LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    Part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

  ``Subpart 3--Public Health Workforce Scholarship and Loan Repayment 
                                Program

``SEC. 775. HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE 
              SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita Public Health Workforce Scholarship Program (referred 
to in this section as the `Program') to ensure an adequate supply of 
public health professionals to eliminate critical public health 
preparedness workforce shortages in State and local public health 
agencies in areas directly affected by Hurricane Katrina or Rita.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the Program, 
an individual shall--
            ``(1) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a 
        full-time student--
                    ``(A) in an accredited (as determined by the 
                Secretary) educational institution in a State directly 
                affected by Hurricane Katrina or Rita; and
                    ``(B) in a course of study or program, offered by 
                such institution and approved by the Secretary, leading 
                to a health professions degree (graduate, 
                undergraduate, or associate) or certificate, which may 
                include laboratory sciences, epidemiology, 
                environmental health, health communications, health 
                education and behavioral sciences, psychology, physical 
                therapy, gerontology, sociology, health policy, social 
                work, information sciences, or public administration;
            ``(2) be a citizen of the United States or an alien 
        lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States;
            ``(3) submit an application to the Secretary to participate 
        in the Program; and
            ``(4) sign and submit to the Secretary, at the time of the 
        submission of such application, a written contract (described 
        in subsection (d)) to serve, upon the completion of the course 
        of study or program involved, for the applicable period of 
        obligated service in the full-time employment of a Federal, 
        State or local public health agency, organization, or 
        association in an area directly affected by Hurricane Katrina 
        or Rita.
    ``(c) Dissemination of Information.--
            ``(1) Application and contract forms.--The Secretary shall 
        disseminate application forms and contract forms to individuals 
        desiring to participate in the Program. The Secretary shall 
        include with such forms--
                    ``(A) a fair summary of the rights and liabilities 
                of an individual whose application is approved (and 
                whose contract is accepted) by the Secretary, including 
                in the summary a clear explanation of the damages to 
                which the United States is entitled to recover in the 
                case of the individual's breach of the contract; and
                    ``(B) information relating to the service 
                obligation and such other information as may be 
                necessary for the individual to understand the 
                individual's prospective participation in the Program.
            ``(2) Information for schools.--The Secretary shall 
        distribute to health professions schools, Historically Black 
        Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, 
        Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian-American- and Pacific 
        Islander-serving institutions, secondary educational 
        institutions, and other appropriate accredited academic 
        institutions and relevant Federal, State, local, and tribal 
        public health agencies, materials providing information on the 
        Program and shall encourage such schools, institutions, and 
        agencies to disseminate such materials to potentially eligible 
        students.
            ``(3) Understandability, and timing.--The application form, 
        contract form, and all other information furnished by the 
        Secretary under this section shall--
                    ``(A) be written in a manner calculated to be 
                understood by the average individual applying to 
                participate in the Program; and
                    ``(B) be made available by the Secretary on a date 
                sufficiently early to ensure that such individuals have 
                adequate time to carefully review and evaluate such 
                forms and information.
            ``(4) Special consideration.--Individuals who are eligible 
        under subsection (b) shall be provided special consideration if 
        the individuals are from medically underserved communities, as 
        defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 295p).
    ``(d) Contract.--The written contract (referred to in this section) 
between the Secretary and an individual shall contain--
            ``(1) an agreement on the part of the Secretary that the 
        Secretary will provide the individual with a scholarship for a 
        period of years (not to exceed 5 academic years) during which 
        the individual shall pursue an approved course of study or 
        program to prepare the individual to serve in the public health 
        workforce;
            ``(2) an agreement on the part of the individual that the 
        individual will--
                    ``(A) maintain full-time enrollment in the approved 
                course of study or program described in subsection 
                (b)(1) until the individual completes that course of 
                study or program;
                    ``(B) while enrolled in the course of study or 
                program, maintain an acceptable level of academic 
                standing (as determined under regulations of the 
                Secretary by the educational institution offering such 
                course of study or program); and
                    ``(C) immediately upon graduation, serve in the 
                full-time employment of a Federal, State, or local 
                public health agency, organization, or association in a 
                position related to the course of study or program for 
                which the contract was awarded for a period of time 
                (referred to in this section as the `period of 
                obligated service') equal to the greater of--
                            ``(i) 1 year for each academic year for 
                        which the individual was provided a scholarship 
                        under the Program; or
                            ``(ii) 3 years;
            ``(3) an agreement by both parties as to the nature and 
        extent of the scholarship assistance, which may include--
                    ``(A) payment of the tuition expenses of the 
                individual;
                    ``(B) payment of all other reasonable educational 
                expenses of the individual including fees, books, 
                equipment, and laboratory expenses; and
                    ``(C) payment of a stipend of not more than $2,400 
                per month for each month of the academic year involved 
                (indexed to account for increases in the Consumer Price 
                Index); and
            ``(4) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        section and any obligation of the individual which is 
        conditioned thereon, is contingent upon funds being 
        appropriated for scholarships under this section;
            ``(5) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled for the individual's breach of the contract; and
            ``(6) such other statements of the rights and liabilities 
        of the Secretary and of the individual, not inconsistent with 
        the provisions of this section.
    ``(e) Postponing Obligated Service.--With respect to an individual 
receiving a degree or certificate from a school of medicine, public 
health, nursing, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, 
optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, psychology, or social work under a 
scholarship under the Program, the date of the initiation of the period 
of obligated service may be postponed, upon the submission by the 
individual of a petition for such postponement and approval by the 
Secretary, to the date on which the individual completes an approved 
internship, residency, or other relevant public health preparedness 
advanced training program.
    ``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) Contracts with institutions.--The Secretary may 
        contract with an educational institution in which a participant 
        in the Program is enrolled, for the payment to the educational 
        institution of the amounts of tuition and other reasonable 
        educational expenses described in subsection (d)(3).
            ``(2) Employment ceilings.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, individuals who have entered into written 
        contracts with the Secretary under this section, while 
        undergoing academic training, shall not be counted against any 
        employment ceiling affecting the Department or any other 
        Federal agency.
    ``(g) Breach of Contract.--An individual who fails to comply with 
the contract entered into under subsection (d) shall be subject to the 
same financial penalties as provided for under section 338E for 
breaches of scholarship contracts under sections 338A.

``SEC. 775-1. HURRICANE KATRINA AND RITA PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE 
              RECOVERY LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program 
(referred to in this section as the `Program') to ensure an adequate 
supply of public health professionals to eliminate critical public 
health preparedness workforce shortages in Federal, State, local, and 
public health agencies, organizations, and associations in areas 
directly affected by Hurricane Katrina or Rita.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the Program, 
an individual shall--
            ``(1)(A) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a 
        full-time or part-time student in an accredited academic 
        educational institution in a State or territory in the final 
        year of a course of study or program offered by that 
        institution leading to a health professions degree or 
        certificate, which may include a degree (graduate, 
        undergraduate, or associate) or certificate relating to 
        laboratory sciences, epidemiology, environmental health, health 
        communications, health education and behavioral sciences, 
        information sciences, or public administration; or
            ``(B) have graduated, within 10 years, from an accredited 
        educational institution in a State or territory and received a 
        health professions degree (graduate, undergraduate, or 
        associate) or certificate, which may include a degree 
        (graduate, undergraduate, or associate) or certificate related 
        to laboratory sciences, epidemiology, environmental health, 
        health communications, health education and behavioral 
        sciences, psychology, physical therapy, gerontology, sociology, 
        health policy, social work, information sciences, or public 
        administration;
            ``(2)(A) in the case of an individual described in 
        paragraph (1)(A), have accepted employment with a Federal, 
        State, local, or tribal public health agency, as recognized by 
        the Secretary, to commence upon graduation; or
            ``(B) in the case of an individual described in paragraph 
        (1)(B), be employed by, or have accepted employment with, a 
        Federal, State, or local public health agency, organization, or 
        association, as recognized by the Secretary;
            ``(3) be a citizen of the United States or an alien 
        lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States;
            ``(4) submit an application to the Secretary to participate 
        in the Program; and
            ``(5) sign and submit to the Secretary, at the time of the 
        submission of such application, a written contract (described 
        in subsection (d)) to serve for the applicable period of 
        obligated service in the full-time employment of a Federal, 
        State, local, or tribal public health agency.
    ``(c) Dissemination of Information.--
            ``(1) Application and contract forms.--The Secretary shall 
        disseminate application forms and contract forms to individuals 
        desiring to participate in the Program. The Secretary shall 
        include with such forms--
                    ``(A) a fair summary of the rights and liabilities 
                of an individual whose application is approved (and 
                whose contract is accepted) by the Secretary, including 
                in the summary a clear explanation of the damages to 
                which the United States is entitled to recover in the 
                case of the individual's breach of the contract; and
                    ``(B) information relating to the service 
                obligation and such other information as may be 
                necessary for the individual to understand the 
                individual's prospective participation in the Program.
            ``(2) Information for schools.--The Secretary shall 
        distribute to health professions schools and other appropriate 
        accredited academic institutions, health professions schools, 
        Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic serving 
        Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian-American 
        and Pacific Islander-serving institutions, secondary 
        educational institutions, and relevant Federal, State, and 
        local public health agencies, materials providing information 
        on the Program and shall encourage such schools, institutions, 
        and agencies to disseminate such materials to potentially 
        eligible students.
            ``(3) Understandability, and timing.--The application form, 
        contract form, and all other information furnished by the 
        Secretary under this section shall--
                    ``(A) be written in a manner calculated to be 
                understood by the average individual applying to 
                participate in the Program; and
                    ``(B) be made available by the Secretary on a date 
                sufficiently early to ensure that such individuals have 
                adequate time to carefully review and evaluate such 
                forms and information.
            ``(4) Special consideration.--Individuals who are eligible 
        under subsection (b) shall be provided special consideration if 
        the individuals are from medically underserved communities, as 
        defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 295p).
    ``(d)  Contract.--The written contract (referred to in this 
section) between the Secretary and an individual shall contain--
            ``(1) an agreement on the part of the Secretary that the 
        Secretary will repay on behalf of the individual loans incurred 
        by the individual in the pursuit of the relevant public health 
        preparedness workforce educational degree or certificate in 
        accordance with the terms of the contract;
            ``(2) an agreement on the part of the individual that the 
        individual will serve, immediately upon graduation in the case 
        of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(A), or in the 
        case of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(B) will 
        continue to serve, in the full-time employment of a Federal, 
        State, or local public health agency, organization, or 
        association in a position related to the course of study or 
        program for which the contract was awarded for a period of time 
        (referred to in this section as the `period of obligated 
        service') equal to the greater of--
                    ``(A) 4 years; or
                    ``(B) such longer period of time as determined 
                appropriate by the Secretary and the individual;
            ``(3) an agreement, as appropriate, on the part of the 
        individual to relocate for the entire period of obligated 
        service to a political jurisdiction designated by the Secretary 
        to be a Hurricane Katrina or Rita priority service area in 
        exchange for an additional loan repayment incentive amount that 
        does not exceed 30 percent of the individual's eligible loan 
        repayment award per academic year such that the total of the 
        loan repayment and the incentive amount shall not exceed \1/2\ 
        of the eligible loan balance per year;
            ``(4) in the case of an individual described in subsection 
        (b)(1)(A) who is in the final year of study and who has 
        accepted employment with a Federal, State, or local public 
        health agency, organization, or association upon graduation, an 
        agreement on the part of the individual to complete the 
        education or training, maintain an acceptable level of academic 
        standing (as determined by the education institution offering 
        the course of study or training), and complete the period of 
        obligated service;
            ``(5) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        section and any obligation of the individual that is 
        conditioned thereon, is contingent on funds being appropriated 
        for loan repayments under this section;
            ``(6) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled under this section for the individual's breach of 
        the contract; and
            ``(7) such other statements of the rights and liabilities 
        of the Secretary and of the individual, not inconsistent with 
        this section.
    ``(e) Payments.--
            ``(1) In general.--A loan repayment provided for an 
        individual under a written contract under the Program shall 
        consist of payment, in accordance with paragraph (2), on behalf 
        of the individual of the principal, interest, and related 
        expenses on government and commercial loans received by the 
        individual regarding the undergraduate or graduate (or both) 
        education of the individual, which loans were made for--
                    ``(A) tuition expenses; or
                    ``(B) any other reasonable educational expenses, 
                including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, 
                incurred by the individual.
            ``(2) Payments for years served.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For each year of obligated 
                service that an individual contracts to serve under 
                subsection (d) the Secretary may pay up to $35,000 on 
                behalf of the individual for loans described in 
                paragraph (1). With respect to participants under the 
                Program whose total eligible loans are less than 
                $125,000, the Secretary shall pay an amount that does 
                not exceed \1/2\ of the eligible loan balance for each 
                year of obligated service of the individual.
                    ``(B) Repayment schedule.--Any arrangement made by 
                the Secretary for the making of loan repayments in 
                accordance with this subsection shall provide that any 
                repayments for a year of obligated service shall be 
                made no later than the end of the fiscal year in which 
                the individual completes such year of service.
            ``(3) Tax liability.--For the purpose of providing 
        reimbursements for tax liability resulting from payments under 
        paragraph (2) on behalf of an individual--
                    ``(A) the Secretary shall, in addition to such 
                payments, make payments to the individual in an amount 
                not to exceed 39 percent of the total amount of loan 
                repayments made for the taxable year involved; and
                    ``(B) may make such additional payments as the 
                Secretary determines to be appropriate with respect to 
                such purpose.
            ``(4) Payment schedule.--The Secretary may enter into an 
        agreement with the holder of any loan for which payments are 
        made under the Program to establish a schedule for the making 
        of such payments.
    ``(f) Postponing Obligated Service.--With respect to an individual 
receiving a degree or certificate from a school of medicine, public 
health, nursing, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, 
optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, psychology, or social work, the date of 
the initiation of the period of obligated service may be postponed, 
upon the submission by the individual of a petition for such 
postponement and approval by the Secretary, to the date on which the 
individual completes an approved internship, residency, or other 
relevant public health preparedness advanced training program.
    ``(g) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) Hiring priority.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
        of law, Federal, State, local, and tribal public health 
        agencies may give hiring priority to any individual who has 
        qualified for and is willing to execute a contract to 
        participate in the Program.
            ``(2) Employment ceilings.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, individuals who have entered into written 
        contracts with the Secretary under this section, who are 
        serving as full-time employees of a State or local public 
        health agency, or who are in the last year of public health 
        workforce academic preparation, shall not be counted against 
        any employment ceiling affecting the Department or any other 
        Federal agency.
    ``(h) Breach of Contract.--An individual who fails to comply with 
the contract entered into under subsection (d) shall be subject to the 
same financial penalties as provided for under section 338E for 
breaches of loan repayment contracts under section 338B.

``SEC. 775-2. GRANTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS IN HURRICANE KATRINA 
              AND RITA AFFECTED AREAS.

    ``(a)  In General.--For the purpose of operating Hurricane Katrina 
and Rita State and local public health workforce loan repayment 
programs, the Secretary shall award a grant to any public health 
agency, organization, or association that receives public health 
preparedness cooperative agreements, or other successor cooperative 
agreements, from the Department of Health and Human Services.
    ``(b) Requirements.--A State or local loan repayment program 
operated with a grant under subsection (a) shall incorporate all 
provisions of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Public Health Workforce 
Loan Repayment Program under section 775-1, including the ability to 
designate Hurricane Katrina and Rita priority service areas within the 
relevant political jurisdiction.
    ``(c) Administration.--The head of the State or local office that 
receives a grant under subsection (a) shall be responsible for 
contracting and operating the loan repayment program under the grant.
    ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to obligate or limit any State or local government entity 
from implementing independent or supplemental public health workforce 
development programs within their borders.

``SEC. 775-3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) Scholarship Program.--For the purpose of carrying out section 
775, there is authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for fiscal year 
2008, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2009 
through 2013.
    ``(b) Loan Repayment Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--For the purpose of carrying out sections 
        775-1 and 775-2, there is authorized to be appropriated 
        $225,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
            ``(2) Allocation.--Not less than 80 percent of the amount 
        appropriated under paragraph (1) in each fiscal year shall be 
        made available to carry out section 775-2.''.

SEC. 4. CULTURAL COMPETENCE TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE AND EMERGENCY 
              RELIEF PROFESSIONALS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, and 
the Director of the National Center on Minority Health and Health 
Disparities, shall award grants to eligible entities to test, 
implement, and evaluate models of cultural competence training, 
including continuing education, for health care and emergency relief 
providers.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), an entity shall--
            (1) be an academic medical center, a health center or 
        clinic, a hospital, a health plan, a health system, or a health 
        care professional guild (including a mental health care 
        professional guild);
            (2) partner with a minority serving institution, minority 
        professional association, or community-based organization 
        representing minority populations, in addition to a research 
        institution to carry out activities under this grant; and
            (3) prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013.

SEC. 5. HEALTH CAREERS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to diversify the 
health care workforce by increasing the number of individuals from 
disadvantaged backgrounds in the health and allied health professions 
by enhancing the academic skills of students from disadvantaged 
backgrounds and supporting them in successfully entering, competing in, 
and graduating from health professions training programs.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 740(c) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293d(c)) is amended by striking ``there 
is authorized to be appropriated $29,400,000'' and all that follows 
through ``2002'' and inserting ``there are authorized to be 
appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013''.

SEC. 6. PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION FOR 
              UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to diversify the 
health care workforce by supporting programs of excellence in 
designated health professions schools that demonstrate a commitment to 
under represented minority populations with a focus on minority health 
issues, cultural and linguistic competence, and eliminating health 
disparities.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriation.--Section 736(h)(1) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293(h)(1)) is amended to read as 
follows:
            ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of 
        making grants under subsection (a), there are authorized to be 
        appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as 
        may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 
        2013.''.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS; RECRUITMENT AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR 
              INDIVIDUALS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS.

    (a) In General.--Section 331(b) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 254d(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(3) The Secretary shall ensure that the individuals with respect 
to whom activities under paragraphs (1) and (2) are carried out include 
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including activities 
carried out to provide health professions students with information on 
the Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs.''.
    (b) Assignment of Corps Personnel.--Section 333(a) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f(a)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(4) In assigning Corps personnel under this section, the 
Secretary shall give preference to applicants who request assignment to 
a Federally-qualified health center (as defined in section 1861(aa) of 
the Social Security Act) or to a provider organization that has a 
majority of patients who are minorities or individuals from low-income 
families (families with a family income that is less than 200 percent 
of the poverty line, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget 
and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Community 
Services Block Grant Act).''.

SEC. 8. LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM OF CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 
              PREVENTION.

    Section 317F(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-
7(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' after ``1994,''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period the following: 
        ``$750,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013''.

SEC. 9. MID-CAREER HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    Part B of title VII of the Public Health Service Act is amended by 
adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 742. MID-CAREER HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to eligible 
schools for awarding scholarships to eligible individuals to attend the 
school involved, for the purpose of enabling the individuals to make a 
career change from a non-health profession to a health profession.
    ``(b) Expenses.--Amounts awarded as a scholarship under this 
section--
            ``(1) subject to paragraph (2), may be expended only for 
        tuition expenses, other reasonable educational expenses, and 
        reasonable living expenses incurred in the attendance of the 
        school involved; and
            ``(2) may be expended for stipends to eligible individuals 
        for the enrolled period at eligible schools, except that such a 
        stipend may not be provided to an individual for more than 4 
        years, and such a stipend may not exceed $35,000 per year 
        (notwithstanding any other provision of law regarding the 
        amount of stipends).
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section: --
            ``(1) Eligible school.--The term `eligible school' means a 
        school of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, nursing 
        (as defined in section 801), pharmacy, podiatric medicine, 
        optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, chiropractic, or 
        allied health, a school offering a graduate program in mental 
        and behavioral health practice, or an entity providing programs 
        for the training of physician assistants.
            ``(2) Eligible individual.--The term `eligible individual' 
        means an individual who has obtained a secondary school diploma 
        or its recognized equivalent.
    ``(d) Priority.--In providing scholarships to eligible individuals, 
eligible schools shall give priority to individuals who are from 
disadvantaged backgrounds and seek to work in areas affected by 
Hurricane Katrina or Rita.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013.''.

SEC. 10. EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND RESCUE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN.

    (a) In General.--Section 1910(a) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 300w-9(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``may make grants to States or accredited 
        schools of medicine in States to support a program of 
        demonstration projects for the expansion and improvement of 
        emergency medical services for children who need treatment for 
        trauma or critical care'' and inserting ``may make grants to, 
        or enter into contracts with, States, local government 
        entities, Indian tribes, accredited schools of medicine, and 
        nonprofit children's hospitals to improve emergency medical 
        services for children who need treatment for trauma or critical 
        care, including injury prevention activities and data 
        collection'';
            (2) by striking ``3-year'' and inserting ``4-year''; and
            (3) by striking ``4th'' and inserting ``5th''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Subsection (d) of section 
1910 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300w-9) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' before such sums; and
            (2) by inserting ``$65,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
        years 2008 through 2011'' before the period at the end.

SEC. 11. BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES FOR SOCIAL SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 2003 and paragraphs (1) 
and (4) of section 2005(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397b, 
1397d(a)), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make 
additional payments under title XX of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397 et seq.) to States directly affected by Hurricane Katrina 
or Rita for health services (including mental health services); for 
health professional recruitment, training, and retention programs; and 
for repair, renovation, and construction of health facilities 
(including mental health facilities).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--To carry out this section, there is 
        authorized to be appropriated $250,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2008.
            (2) Allocation.--Of the amount appropriated pursuant to 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) 25 percent shall be for additional payments 
                under this section to Mississippi; and
                    (B) 75 percent shall be for additional payments 
                under this section to Louisiana.
                                 <all>