[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3944 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3944

    To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve education 
    opportunities for physician assistants, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 5, 2015

Ms. Bass (for herself and Mr. Hastings) introduced the following bill; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve education 
    opportunities for physician assistants, 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 ``Physician Assistant Higher Education 
Modernization Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. INCREASING LOAN LIMITS FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS UNDER THE 
              FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1087e) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(r) Increasing Loan Limits for Physician Assistants.--
            ``(1) Maximum annual limits.--Notwithstanding section 
        428H(d)(2)(A), the maximum annual amount of Federal Direct 
        Unsubsidized Stafford Loans that a graduate student in a 
        physician assistant education program (as defined in section 
        799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p)) may 
        borrow in any academic year (as defined in section 481(a)(2)) 
        or its equivalent shall be--
                    ``(A) $40,000 in the first academic year of such 
                program;
                    ``(B) $40,000 in the second academic year of such 
                program; and
                    ``(C) $15,000 in the third academic year of such 
                program.
            ``(2) Aggregate limits.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The maximum aggregate amount of 
                Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Federal 
                Direct Stafford Loans that a student described in 
                paragraph (1) of this subsection may borrow shall be 
                equal to the maximum aggregate amount of such loans 
                that any graduate or professional student enrolled in a 
                program described in subparagraph (B) may borrow.
                    ``(B) Program described.--A program described in 
                this subparagraph is--
                            ``(i) a program in a school of pharmacy, 
                        public health, allied health, or chiropractic 
                        medicine; or
                            ``(ii) a graduate program in health 
                        administration or behavioral and mental health 
                        practice, including clinical psychology.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply 
with respect to award years beginning more than 60 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. MAKING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS ELIGIBLE FOR CERTAIN LOAN 
              FORGIVENESS.

    (a) In General.--Section 428K of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1078-11) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
            ``(19) Physician assistants.--The individual is a physician 
        assistant employed full-time--
                    ``(A) as a physician assistant in a clinical 
                setting providing primary care services; or
                    ``(B) as a member of the physician assistant 
                faculty at a physician assistant education program (as 
                defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 295p)).'';
            (2) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following:
            ``(11) Physician assistant.--The term `physician assistant' 
        means an individual who--
                    ``(A) graduated from a physician assistant 
                education program (as defined in section 799B of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p));
                    ``(B) is certified as a physician assistant by the 
                National Commission on the Certification of Physician 
                Assistants or any successor organization; and
                    ``(C) either--
                            ``(i) holds a valid and unrestricted 
                        license to practice medicine as a physician 
                        assistant in the State in which the physician 
                        assistant practices in a clinical setting; or
                            ``(ii) is qualified for licensure in the 
                        State where the individual is employed as a 
                        full-time physician assistant faculty member of 
                        a physician assistant education program (as 
                        defined in section 799B of the Public Health 
                        Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p)).''; and
            (3) in subsection (h), by striking ``fiscal year 2009'' and 
        inserting ``fiscal year 2017''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to employment occurring on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAMS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK 
              COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND PREDOMINANTLY BLACK 
              INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) Historically Black Colleges and Universities.--Section 723 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1136a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``physician 
        assistant studies,'' after ``allied health,'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by inserting ``physician 
        assistant studies,'' after ``allied health,''; and
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``physician 
                assistant studies,'' after ``allied health,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (11), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph 
                (13); and
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
                following:
            ``(12) in the case of a grant for a physician assistant 
        education program (as defined in section 799B of the Public 
        Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p))--
                    ``(A) creating or improving facilities for Internet 
                or other distance education technologies, including 
                purchase or rental of telecommunications technology 
                equipment or services; and
                    ``(B) collaborating with other institutions of 
                higher education to expand postbaccalaureate degree 
                offerings; and''.
    (b) Predominantly Black Institutions.--Section 724 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1136b) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``physician 
        assistant studies,'' after ``allied health,'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by inserting ``physician 
        assistant studies,'' after ``allied health,''; and
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``physician 
                assistant studies,'' after ``allied health,'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph 
                (13); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
                following:
            ``(12) in the case of a grant for a physician assistant 
        education program (as defined in section 799B of the Public 
        Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p))--
                    ``(A) creating or improving facilities for Internet 
                or other distance education technologies, including 
                purchase or rental of telecommunications technology 
                equipment or services; and
                    ``(B) collaborating with other institutions of 
                higher education to expand postbaccalaureate degree 
                offerings; and''.
    (c) Extension of Authorization of Appropriations.--Subsections (a) 
and (b) of section 725 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1136c) are each amended by striking ``fiscal year 2009'' and inserting 
``fiscal year 2017''.

SEC. 5. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT POSTBACCALAUREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
              HISPANIC AMERICANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 514 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1102c) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Priority for Physician Assistant Education Programs.--The 
Secretary shall give preference to an application by an eligible 
institution for a grant under this part that demonstrates that the 
grant funds awarded under this part will be used to support physician 
assistant education programs (as defined in section 799B of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p)).''.
    (b) Extension of Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 
528(a)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1103g(a)(2)) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and''; 
        and
            (2) by inserting after ``such sums as may be necessary 
        for'' the following: ``fiscal year 2017 and''.

SEC. 6. GRANTS TO RURAL-SERVING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR 
              PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    Part Q of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1161q) is amended--
            (1) in section 861(b), by striking ``For the purposes of 
        this section'' and inserting ``For the purposes of this part''; 
        and
            (2) by inserting after section 861 the following:

``SEC. 862. GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF 
              PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT RURAL-SERVING 
              INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants on a competitive basis to a rural-serving institution of 
        higher education or a consortium of such institutions--
                    ``(A) to increase, for students from rural areas, 
                enrollment and graduation rates for postbaccalaureate 
                physician assistant education programs;
                    ``(B) to train physician assistants in rural areas 
                through the development of new physician assistant 
                education programs and the expansion of existing 
                physician assistant education programs in rural areas; 
                and
                    ``(C) to promote economic growth and development in 
                rural America through partnership grants to regional 
                employers and to consortia of rural-serving 
                institutions of higher education.
            ``(2) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall 
        be awarded for a period of not longer than 3 years.
            ``(3) Limitation.--A rural-serving institution of higher 
        education or a consortium of such institutions shall not 
        receive more than one grant under this section.
    ``(b) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each rural-serving institution of higher 
        education or consortium of such institutions desiring a grant 
        under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application 
        at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
        as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to applications that demonstrate 
        the most potential and propose the most promising and 
        innovative approaches for--
                    ``(A) creating new physician assistant education 
                programs in rural areas;
                    ``(B) increasing the number of physician assistants 
                that practice medicine in rural areas;
                    ``(C) meeting the employment needs of regional 
                employers of physician assistants with graduates of 
                physician assistant education programs at rural-serving 
                institutions of higher education; and
                    ``(D) improving the health of Americans residing in 
                rural areas.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--A rural-serving institution of higher 
        education or consortium of such institutions that receives a 
        grant under this section shall use grant funds for the 
        establishment and expansion of physician assistant education 
        programs in rural areas.
            ``(2) Partnership.--A rural-serving institution of higher 
        education or a consortium of such institutions that receives a 
        grant under this section shall carry out the activities of the 
        grant in partnership with--
                    ``(A) one or more regional employers that employ 
                physician assistants;
                    ``(B) a nonprofit organization with demonstrated 
                expertise in physician assistant education at the 
                postbaccalaureate level; or
                    ``(C) an organization with expertise in delivering 
                distance education at the postbaccalaureate level that 
                is authorized to offer courses for academic credit.
    ``(d) Physician Assistant Education Program.--In this section, the 
term `physician assistant education program' has the meaning given to 
such term in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
295p).
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2017 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.''.

SEC. 7. IMPROVING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    Title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by 
inserting after section 898 (20 U.S.C. 1161aa-1) the following:

          ``PART BB--PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT

``SEC. 899. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT 
              FACULTY PREPARATION.

    ``(a) Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide grants to 
        not more than 10 institutions of higher education to develop, 
        expand, and support graduate-level programs to prepare 
        certified physician assistants to become physician assistant 
        faculty members in accredited graduate-level physician 
        assistant education programs through collaboration between such 
        a program and an institution of higher education that awards a 
        graduate degree in education.
            ``(2) Cap.--No institution of higher education may receive 
        more than an aggregate of $600,000 under this section during 
        fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019.
    ``(b) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--An institution of higher education 
        desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the 
        Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
        require, an application including--
                    ``(A) a description of the intended collaboration 
                to develop, expand, and support graduate-level programs 
                to prepare certified physician assistants to become 
                physician assistant faculty members in accredited 
                graduate-level physician assistant education programs; 
                and
                    ``(B) an estimate of the number of students who 
                will be affected by such collaboration.
            ``(2) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to 
        applications that demonstrate the potential to maximize quality 
        instruction through the use of technology.
    ``(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the first 
grant under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report that--
            ``(1) describes the steps taken to implement this section; 
        and
            ``(2) lists all recipients of grants under this section as 
        of the date of such submission.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101.
            ``(2) Physician assistant education program.--The term 
        `physician assistant education program' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 295p).
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for fiscal years 2017 through 2019.

``SEC. 899A. GRANTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY IN PHYSICIAN 
              ASSISTANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants, on a competitive basis, to not more than 20 eligible 
        recipients to enhance physician assistant education programs 
        and improve patient safety by supporting the purchase of 
        infrastructure and technology, including human patient 
        simulators, for such programs.
            ``(2) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall 
        be awarded for a period of not longer than five years.
    ``(b) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible recipient may apply for a 
        grant under this section by submitting an application to the 
        Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
        require that demonstrates how the grant funds will be used to 
        improve physician assistant education programs and patient 
        safety with respect to such programs.
            ``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to applications that demonstrate 
        the potential to--
                    ``(A) increase the number of physician assistant 
                graduates;
                    ``(B) maximize the accessibility of human patient 
                simulators for physician assistant education programs 
                through partnerships between the grant recipient and 
                other institutions of higher education; or
                    ``(C) improve the health of the community and 
                region where the physician assistant education program 
                is located.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible recipient that receives a grant 
awarded under this section may use the grant for one or more of the 
following purposes:
            ``(1) Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or 
        laboratory equipment, including human patient simulators and 
        machines, for educational purposes, including instructional and 
        research purposes.
            ``(2) Construction, maintenance and renovation, and 
        improvement of classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other 
        instructional facilities, including purchase or rental of 
        telecommunications technology equipment or services.
            ``(3) Supporting faculty training in the use of the human 
        patient simulator equipment.
            ``(4) Other activities proposed in the application 
        submitted pursuant to subsection (b) that--
                    ``(A) contribute to carrying out the purposes of 
                this section; and
                    ``(B) are approved by the Secretary as part of the 
                review and acceptance of such application.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Physician assistant education program.--The term 
        `physician assistant education program' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 295p).
            ``(2) Human patient simulator.--The term `human patient 
        simulator' means a computerized mannequin that is anatomically 
        precise and responds physiologically to student interventions.
            ``(3) Eligible recipient.--The term `eligible recipient' 
        means a physician assistant education program accredited by the 
        Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician 
        Assistant, Inc. (or a successor organization), located in a 
        State or territory.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2017 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.''.
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