117 HR 5605 IH: PrEP Assistance Program Act U.S. House of Representatives 2021-10-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I117th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 5605IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESOctober 15, 2021Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Jones, Mr. Schiff, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Takano, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Stanton, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Porter, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Welch, Mr. Higgins of New York, Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Bass, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Pappas, and Ms. Velázquez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceA BILLTo establish a grant program that provides grants to States, Indian Tribal governments, Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local governments, and community-based organizations to establish and support PrEP programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the PrEP Assistance Program Act.

2.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis program grant

(a)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a program that provides grants to States, Indian Tribal governments, Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local governments, and community-based organizations to establish and support PrEP programs. (b)

Applications

To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), a State, Indian Tribal government, Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, local government, or community-based organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including a description of how any amounts awarded shall be used.(c)

Amount

Any grant provided to a State, Indian Tribal government, Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, local government, or community-based organization under this section may not exceed $10,000,000.(d)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

Any State, Indian Tribal government, Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, local government, or community-based organization that is awarded an amount under subsection (a) shall use such amount for expenses associated with establishing a PrEP program or supporting an existing PrEP program.(2)

Eligible expenses

The Secretary shall publish a list of eligible expenses associated with establishing a PrEP program or supporting an existing PrEP program and this list shall include—(A)clinic and laboratory fees;(B)office visits;(C)PrEP medication;(D)blood and urine testing as required in association with the use of PrEP medication;(E)sexually transmitted disease testing in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;(F)adherence services and counseling;(G)outreach activities directed toward assisting health professionals to become eligible to prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis medications in the State or Indian Tribal government where the program is operating;(H)outreach activities directed toward physicians that provide education about PrEP; and(I)other similar items or services.(e)

Payment for services

An individual that receives a service or item from a PreP program established or supported using amounts under this section may not be required to provide payment for such service or item.(f)

Matching

(1)

In general

Except with respect to an Indian Tribal government, a grantee under this section shall contribute, to the PrEP program established or supported by the grant, an amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the amount of the grant.(2)

Exception

The Secretary may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) for Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, and community-based organizations if the Secretary determines such a waiver is necessary.(g)

Report to Congress

The Secretary shall, in each of the first 5 years beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to Congress, and make public on the Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services, a report on the impact of grants provided to States, Indian Tribal governments, Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local governments, and community-based organizations under this Act.(h)

Authorization of Appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $400,000,000 for each of the first 5 fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.(i)

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Community-based organization

The term community-based organization means a nonprofit or private organization that—(A)represents a community or significant segments of a community;(B)provides health care or health-related services to high-risk or high-need individuals in a community; and(C)demonstrates effectiveness with respect to such health care or health-related services.(2)

Federally qualified health center

The term Federally qualified health center has the meaning given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).(3)

Indian Tribal government

The term Indian Tribal government means the governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a et seq.).(4)

PrEP program

The term PrEP program means a program designed to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis and pre-exposure prophylaxis- related services to individuals.(5)

Pre-exposure prophylaxis

The term pre-exposure prophylaxis means any medication approved by the Federal Drug Administration and designed to prevent individuals at risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).(6)

Rural health clinic

The term rural health clinic has the meaning give such term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)). (7)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (8)

State

The term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.