[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



Public Law 115-408
115th Congress

An Act


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to improve
health care in rural areas. <>

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 ``State Offices of Rural Health
Reauthorization Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. STATE OFFICES OF RURAL HEALTH.

Section 338J of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254r) is
amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 338J. GRANTS TO STATE OFFICES OF RURAL HEALTH.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (established under section 711 of
the Social Security Act), shall make grants to each State Office of
Rural Health for the purpose of improving health care in rural areas.
``(b) Requirement of Matching Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary
may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the State
office of rural health involved agrees, with respect to the
costs to be incurred in carrying out the purpose described in
such subsection, to provide non-Federal contributions toward
such costs in an amount equal to $3 for each $1 of Federal funds
provided in the grant.
``(2) <>  Waiver or reduction.--The
Secretary may waive or reduce the non-Federal contribution if
the Secretary determines that requiring matching funds would
limit the State office of rural health's ability to carry out
the purpose described in subsection (a).
``(3) Determination of amount of non-federal contribution.--
Non-Federal contributions required in paragraph (1) may be in
cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment,
or services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or
services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the
Federal Government, may not be included in determining the
amount of such non-Federal contributions.

``(c) Certain Required Activities.--Recipients of a grant under
subsection (a) shall use the grant funds for purposes of--
``(1) maintaining within the State office of rural health a
clearinghouse for collecting and disseminating information on--

[[Page 5385]]

``(A) rural health care issues;
``(B) research findings relating to rural health
care; and
``(C) innovative approaches to the delivery of
health care in rural areas;
``(2) coordinating the activities carried out in the State
that relate to rural health care, including providing
coordination for the purpose of avoiding redundancy in such
activities; and
``(3) identifying Federal and State programs regarding rural
health, and providing technical assistance to public and
nonprofit private entities regarding participation in such
programs.

``(d) Requirement Regarding Annual Budget for Office.--The Secretary
may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the State involved
agrees that, for any fiscal year for which the State office of rural
health receives such a grant, the office operated pursuant to subsection
(a) of this section will be provided with an annual budget of not less
than $150,000.
``(e) Certain Uses of Funds.--
``(1) Restrictions.--The Secretary may not make a grant
under subsection (a) unless the State office of rural health
involved agrees that the grant will not be expended--
``(A) to provide health care (including providing
cash payments regarding such care);
``(B) to conduct activities for which Federal funds
are expended--
``(i) within the State to provide technical
and other nonfinancial assistance under section
330A(f);
``(ii) under a memorandum of agreement entered
into with the State office of rural health under
section 330A(h); or
``(iii) under a grant under section 338I;
``(C) to purchase medical equipment, to purchase
ambulances, aircraft, or other vehicles, or to purchase
major communications equipment;
``(D) to purchase or improve real property; or
``(E) to carry out any activity regarding a
certificate of need.
``(2) Authorities.--Activities for which a State office of
rural health may expend a grant under subsection (a) include--
``(A) paying the costs of maintaining an office of
rural health for purposes of subsection (a);
``(B) subject to paragraph (1)(B)(iii), paying the
costs of any activity carried out with respect to
recruiting and retaining health professionals to serve
in rural areas of the State; and
``(C) providing grants and contracts to public and
nonprofit private entities to carry out activities
authorized in this section.
``(3) Limit on indirect costs.--The Secretary may impose a
limit of no more than 15 percent on indirect costs claimed by
the recipient of the grant.

``(f) Reports.--The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection
(a) unless the State office of rural health involved agrees--
``(1) to submit to the Secretary reports or performance data
containing such information as the Secretary may require
regarding activities carried out under this section; and

[[Page 5386]]

``(2) to submit such a report or performance data not later
than September 30 of each fiscal year immediately following any
fiscal year for which the State office of rural health has
received such a grant.

``(g) Requirement of Application.--The Secretary may not make a
grant under subsection (a) unless an application for the grant is
submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made
in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and
information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out
such subsection.
``(h) <>  Noncompliance.--The Secretary may
not make payments under subsection (a) to a State office of rural health
for any fiscal year subsequent to the first fiscal year of such payments
unless the Secretary determines that, for the immediately preceding
fiscal year, the State office of rural health has complied with each of
the agreements made by the State office of rural health under this
section.

``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--For the purpose of making grants under
subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated
$12,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022.
``(2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated under paragraph
(1) shall remain available until expended.''.

Approved December 31, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2278:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
July 24, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 19, considered and passed House.