[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4110 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4110
To revise and extend health workforce programs under title VII of the
Public Health Service Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 17, 2026
Mr. Reed (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To revise and extend health workforce programs under title VII of the
Public Health Service Act.
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 ``Educating Medical Professionals and
Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act'' or the
``EMPOWER for Health Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS WORKFORCE PROGRAMS.
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.)
is amended--
(1) in section 736(i) (42 U.S.C. 293(i)), by striking
``$23,711,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and
inserting ``$28,422,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through
2030'';
(2) in section 740 (42 U.S.C. 293d)--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``$51,470,000
for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and
inserting ``$55,014,000 for each of fiscal years 2026
through 2030'';
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``appropriated,
$1,190,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025''
and inserting ``appropriated $2,310,000 for each of
fiscal years 2026 through 2030'';
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ``$15,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and
inserting ``$16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026
through 2030''; and
(D) in subsection (d), by striking ``September 30,
2025'' and inserting ``September 30, 2030'';
(3) in section 747(c)(1) (42 U.S.C. 293k(c)(1)), by
striking ``$48,924,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through
2025'' and inserting ``$49,924,000 for each of fiscal years
2026 through 2030'';
(4) in section 748(f) (42 U.S.C. 293k-2(f)), by striking
``$28,531,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and
inserting ``$42,673,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through
2030'';
(5) in section 751(j)(1) (42 U.S.C. 294a(j)(1)), by
striking ``$41,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through
2025'' and inserting ``$47,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2026 through 2030'';
(6) in section 753(d) (42 U.S.C. 294c(d)), by striking
``$40,737,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and
inserting ``$48,245,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through
2030'';
(7) in section 761(e)(1)(A) (42 U.S.C. 294n(e)(1)(A)), by
striking ``2021 through 2025'' and inserting ``2026 through
2030'';
(8) in section 762(i) (42 U.S.C. 294o(i)), by striking
``September 30, 2023'' and inserting ``September 30, 2030'';
(9) in section 770(a) (42 U.S.C. 295e(a)), by striking
``$17,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025'' and
inserting ``$18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through
2030'';
(10) in section 775(e) (42 U.S.C. 295f(e)), by striking
``is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.'' and
inserting the following: ``are authorized to be appropriated
for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030--
``(1) to carry out subsection (c)(1)(A), $5,000,000; and
``(2) to carry out subsection (c)(1)(B), $5,000,000.''; and
(11) in section 776(i) (42 U.S.C. 295f-1(i)), by striking
``2023 through 2025'' and inserting ``2026 through 2030''.
SEC. 3. INVESTMENT IN TOMORROW'S PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE.
Section 775 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295f) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``be employed full-
time'' and inserting ``perform full-time service'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``in an area with
a shortage of the specified pediatric subspecialty that
has a sufficient pediatric population to support such
pediatric subspecialty, as determined by the
Secretary'' and inserting ``to underserved children or
in an area with a shortage of the specified pediatric
subspecialty''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(B)--
(i) by striking ``employment'' and
inserting ``service''; and
(ii) by striking ``an area or'' and
inserting ``a'';
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking the subsection designation and
heading and all that follows through the paragraph
designation and heading in paragraph (1) and inserting
the following:
``(c) Eligibility.--
``(1) Definition of qualified health professional.--In this
section:'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) in the matter preceding clause
(i), by inserting ``under this
section'' after ``contracts''; and
(II) in clause (ii), by striking
``subparagraph (B)'' and inserting
``clause (i)''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), in the matter
preceding clause (i), by inserting ``under this
section'' after ``contracts''; and
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``this subsection with an
eligible individual'' and inserting ``this
section with a qualified health professional'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``individual'' and
inserting ``qualified health
professional''; and
(II) by striking ``medically
underserved population'' and inserting
``medically underserved pediatric
population (including children enrolled
in the Medicaid program under title XIX
of the Social Security Act)''; and
(iii) in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C),
by striking ``individual'' and inserting
``qualified health professional'';
(4) by redesignating subsection (e) (as amended by section
2(10)) as subsection (f); and
(5) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Full-Time Service Obligations.--
``(1) In general.--With respect to qualified health
professionals described in subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (B) of
subsection (c)(1) who enter into contracts under this section,
the Secretary shall establish requirements for full-time
service that are consistent with the practice standards,
including research and teaching obligations, of the applicable
pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty,
or child and adolescent mental and behavioral health care field
in which such qualified health professional practices.
``(2) Fellowships or residencies.--With respect to
qualified health professionals described in subsection
(c)(1)(A)(i), the Secretary shall establish requirements for
full-time service that are consistent with the requirements of
the accrediting body for the applicable residency or fellowship
for full-time service.''.
SEC. 4. AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTERS.
Section 751 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294a) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(1)(G), by striking ``high school''
and inserting ``pre-collegiate''; and
(2) in subsection (h)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``12 years''
and inserting ``2 award cycles''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``6 years''
and inserting ``1 award cycle''.
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