[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8400 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8400

To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children's vision and 
     eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal 
  organizations, and the provision of technical assistance to support 
                             those efforts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2024

  Mr. Veasey (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children's vision and 
     eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal 
  organizations, and the provision of technical assistance to support 
                             those efforts.

    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 ``Early Detection of Vision 
Impairments for Children Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND 
              SYSTEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S VISION AND EYE HEALTH.

    Part Q of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280h et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 399Z-3. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTERVENTION 
              PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S VISION AND EYE 
              HEALTH.

    ``(a) Grants or Cooperative Agreements.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, shall make awards of grants or cooperative 
        agreements to eligible entities to develop and implement 
        statewide early detection and intervention programs and systems 
        related to children's vision and eye health.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
        cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), an entity shall--
                    ``(A) be a State, territory, Indian Tribe or Tribal 
                organization, or Urban Indian organization, including a 
                State or community department of children and families, 
                health, or public health, or a State educational 
                agency; and
                    ``(B) submit to the Secretary an application at 
                such time, in such manner, and containing such 
                information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(3) Use of awards.--Amounts provided under a grant or 
        cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) shall be used for 
        three or more of the following activities:
                    ``(A) Implementing early detection practices (such 
                as vision screening) and intervention initiatives for 
                the purpose of identifying vision concerns in children 
                as they engage in the medical, home, public 
                educational, or early learning setting, promoting 
                referrals to eye care, and promoting the use of 
                evidence-based and age-appropriate standards guided by 
                nationally recognized and uniform guidelines.
                    ``(B) Developing an integrated approach to State-
                level data collection and management to advance State-
                based performance improvement systems and uniform 
                children's vision and eye health guidelines across 
                relevant and appropriate State-level jurisdictions.
                    ``(C) Identifying strategies to improve eye health 
                outcomes, expand access to care, and reduce health 
                disparities for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment 
                of ocular disease and eye conditions in children who 
                experience barriers to eye care from rural and 
                underserved populations.
                    ``(D) Raising awareness by providing the public, 
                including families, guardians (permanent, legal, or 
                temporary), family or community caregivers, and early 
                learning settings with children's vision and eye health 
                information that is accurate, accessible, culturally 
                and linguistically competent, comprehensive, up-to-
                date, and evidence-based or evidence-informed.
                    ``(E) Establishing a coordinated public health 
                system for vision care and eye health, including early 
                detection, referral to eye care, diagnosis and 
                intervention, and follow-up for children.
                    ``(F) Providing referrals to wrap-around vision 
                services, as necessary, for a future of independent 
                living.
            ``(4) Collaboration with necessary community and state 
        partners.--In carrying out activities under this subsection, 
        the recipient of a grant or cooperative agreement shall consult 
        with necessary community and State partners, including State 
        agencies responsible for the administration of title V of 
        Social Security Act (the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant 
        Program), title XIX of such Act (the Medicaid Early Periodic 
        Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program), title XXI of such 
        Act (the State Children's Health Insurance Program), and parts 
        B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the 
        Indian Health Service, and consumer groups for the purposes of 
        program and policy development, collaboration, and improvement.
            ``(5) Evaluation and report.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An entity that receives a grant 
                or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall 
                annually submit to the Secretary a report that 
                describes the activities carried out under the grant or 
                agreement, including a description of the period of 
                performance covered under the report, the scope of 
                activities carried out during such period, the outcomes 
                of such activities, and a demonstration of whether 
                funding recipients have met project goals for the 
                designated time period outlined in the initial 
                application under paragraph (2).
                    ``(B) Availability of reports.--The Secretary shall 
                make available to the general public the annual reports 
                under subparagraph (A).
    ``(b) Technical Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide eligible 
        entities under subsection (a) with technical support in the 
        development, implementation, and enhancement of activities 
        described in such subsection.
            ``(2) Grants.--The Secretary, acting through the Director 
        of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award 
        grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical 
        assistance to eligible entities to--
                    ``(A) develop, maintain, and improve data 
                collection systems related to children's vision 
                screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention 
                services;
                    ``(B) disseminate information for stakeholders, 
                including States and local governments, Indian Tribes, 
                Tribal organizations, Urban Indian organizations, 
                public health departments, and nonprofit organizations, 
                to launch effective strategies and interventions in 
                preventing and treating childhood vision disorders;
                    ``(C) conduct applied research related to early 
                vision screening and intervention programs and 
                outcomes;
                    ``(D) ensure quality monitoring of vision 
                screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and 
                systems; and
                    ``(E) assist eligible entities in coordinating on 
                best practices and maintaining national goals related 
                to vision and eye health.
            ``(3) Evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the 
                date of enactment of this section, the recipient of a 
                grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection 
                shall evaluate the activities conducted with funds 
                received under this section and submit a report to the 
                Secretary on the outcomes, costs, and program 
                effectiveness of such activities.
                    ``(B) Contents.--A report under subparagraph (A) 
                shall be in such form and contain such information as 
                the Secretary determines appropriate.
                    ``(C) Submission.--Upon determination by the 
                Secretary that a report under subparagraph (A) meets 
                the requirements of this paragraph, the recipient shall 
                submit the report to Congress.
            ``(4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
        cooperative agreement under this subsection, an entity shall be 
        a public or nonprofit private organization or institution, with 
        expertise, or demonstrated proficiency, in developing systems-
        based approaches to children's vision and eye health for the 
        purpose of providing technical assistance in relation to one or 
        more of the activities described in subsection (a).
    ``(c) Coordination and Consultation.--The Secretary shall 
coordinate and consult with the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Administration for 
Communities and Families, the Indian Health Service, and the Department 
of Education on recommendations for policy development at the Federal, 
State, and Tribal levels with the private sector, including consumer, 
medical, and other health and education child serving not-for-profit 
organizations with respect to early detection and intervention programs 
and systems.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian Tribe' has the 
        meaning given to the term `Indian tribe' in section 102 of the 
        Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994.
            ``(2) State educational agency.--The term `State 
        educational agency' has the meaning given such term in section 
        8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(3) Tribal organization.--The term `Tribal organization' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
            ``(4) Urban indian organization.--The term `Urban Indian 
        organization' has the meaning given such term in section 4 of 
        the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated--
            ``(1) to carry out this section, other than subsection 
        (a)(5), $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029; 
        and
            ``(2) to carry out subsection (a)(5), $5,000,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.''.
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