[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4031 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4031

  To authorize the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration to award grants to expand or create health care provider 
                           pipeline programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 21, 2024

Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Casey) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
Administration to award grants to expand or create health care provider 
                           pipeline programs.

    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 ``Providing Resources and 
Opportunities for Health Education And Learning Act of 2024'' or the 
``PRO-HEAL Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPAND OR CREATE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER 
              PIPELINES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        State or institution of higher education.
            (3) institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and 
        each of the outlying areas (as such term is defined in section 
        8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 7801)).
    (b) Authorization of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the eligible 
        entities to expand or create health care provider pipeline 
        programs.
            (2) Duration.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
        for a term of not more than 5 years.
            (3) Reservation.--The Administrator shall reserve 25 
        percent of amounts made available to carry out this section to 
        award grants to eligible entities that are eligible 
        institutions described in section 371 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q).
            (4) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Administrator shall give priority to--
                    (A) programs designed to serve underserved or rural 
                communities;
                    (B) programs designed to increase the number of 
                health care professionals who are primary care 
                providers; or
                    (C) eligible entities that intend to recruit a 
                majority of individuals to participate in the health 
                care provider pipeline program from within the same 
                State as the eligible entity or in which the eligible 
                entity is located.
    (c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires to receive a 
grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Administrator at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Administrator may require.
    (d) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under this section shall use the grant funds to expand or 
        create health care provider pipeline programs that are designed 
        to increase the number of one or more of the following groups 
        of health care professionals:
                    (A) Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathic 
                Medicine.
                    (B) Physician Assistants.
                    (C) Nurse Practitioners.
                    (D) Nurses.
                    (E) Emergency Medical Technicians.
                    (F) Dentists.
                    (G) Behavioral Health Providers.
            (2) Additional providers.--The Administrator may add to the 
        list of health care professionals eligible for health care 
        provider pipeline programs under paragraph (1) based on areas 
        of need and shortages across the Nation.
    (e) Reports.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under this 
section shall submit a report to the Administrator, not later than 5 
years after receiving the grant and at the end of the grant period, on 
the implementation of the health care provider pipeline program, 
including details on--
            (1) a breakdown of funding uses;
            (2) admission rates to the program;
            (3) admission criteria for the program;
            (4) demographics of admitted students; and
            (5) program drop-out rates.
    (f) Grants After Reauthorization.--If the grant program under this 
section is authorized for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2029, the 
Administrator, in awarding grants after fiscal year 2029, shall give 
priority to eligible entities that have already received a grant under 
this section.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $215,000,000 for the period of 
fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
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