[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4945 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4945

 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
                   establish a Rural Health Liaison.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 6, 2018

  Mrs. Bustos (for herself and Mr. LaMalfa) introduced the following 
        bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
                   establish a Rural Health Liaison.

    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 ``Rural Health Liaison Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. RURAL HEALTH LIAISON.

    Subtitle C of title II of the Department of Agriculture 
Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6941 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 236. RURAL HEALTH LIAISON.

    ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary shall establish in the 
Department the position of Rural Health Liaison.
    ``(b) Duties.--The Rural Health Liaison shall--
            ``(1) in consultation with the Department of Health and 
        Human Services, coordinate the role of the Department with 
        respect to rural health;
            ``(2) integrate across the Department the strategic 
        planning and activities related to rural health;
            ``(3) improve communication related to rural health within 
        the Department and between Federal agencies;
            ``(4) advocate on behalf of the health care and relevant 
        infrastructure needs in rural areas;
            ``(5) provide to stakeholders, potential grant applicants, 
        Federal agencies, State agencies, Indian Tribes, private 
        organizations, and academic institutions, relevant data and 
        information, including the eligibility requirements for, and 
        availability and outcomes of, Department programs applicable to 
        the advancement of rural health;
            ``(6) maintain communication with public health, medical, 
        occupational safety, and telecommunication associations, 
        research entities, and other stakeholders in order to ensure 
        the Department is aware of current and upcoming issues related 
        to rural health;
            ``(7) consult on programs, pilot projects, research, 
        training and other affairs related to rural health at the 
        Department and other Federal agencies;
            ``(8) provide expertise on rural health to support the 
        activities of the Secretary as Chair of the Interagency Task 
        Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity; and
            ``(9) provide technical assistance and guidance with 
        respect to activities related to rural health to the outreach, 
        extension, and county offices of the Department.''.
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