,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fegh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #ba1 #bjbj,mr4 ,crow 7for himself and ,mr4 ,burgess7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act to establish the ,public ,health ,workforce ,loan ,repayment ,program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,public ,health ,workforce ,loan ,repayment ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,public ,health ,workforce ,loan ,repayment ,program ,part ,d of title ,,iii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;b et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new subpart3 ,,xiii ,public ,health ,workforce #cdj;,j4 ,loan ,repayment ,program 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall establish a program to be known as the ,public ,health ,workforce ,loan ,repayment ,program 7referred to in this section as the ,program7 to assure an adequate supply of and encourage recruitment of public health professionals to eliminate critical public health workforce shortages in local1 ,state1 and ,tribal public health agencies4 7b7 ,eligibility ,to be eligible to participate in the ,program1 an individual shall-- 7#a7 7,a7 be accepted for enrollment1 or be enrolled1 as a student in an accredited academic educational institution in a ,state or territory in the final year of a course of study or program leading to a public health or health professions degree or certificate and have accepted employment with a local1 ,state1 or ,tribal public health agency1 or a related training fellowship1 as recognized by the ,secretary1 to commence upon graduation2 or 7,b7 7i7 have graduated1 during the preceding #aj-year period1 from an accredited educational institution in a ,state or territory and received a public health or health professions degree or certificate2 and 7ii7 be employed by1 or have accepted employment with1 a local1 ,state1 or ,tribal public health agency or a related training fellowship1 as recognized by the ,secretary2 7#b7 be a ,united ,states citizen2 7#c7 7,a7 submit an application to the ,secretary to participate in the ,program2 and 7,b7 execute a written contract as required in subsection 7c72 and 7#d7 not have received1 for the same service1 a reduction of loan obligations under section #dbh;,j1 #dbh,k1 #dbh,l1 #dee7m71 or #dfj of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgh-aj1 #ajgh-aa1 #ajgh-ab1 #ajhg;e7m71 and #ajhg;j74 7c7 ,contract ,the written contract referred to in subsection 7b77#c77;,b7 between the ,secretary and an individual shall contain-- 7#a7 an agreement on the part of the ,secretary that the ,secretary will repay1 on behalf of the individual1 loans incurred by the individual in the pursuit of the relevant degree or certificate in accordance with the terms of the contract2 7#b7 an agreement on the part of the individual that the individual will serve in the full-time employment of a local1 ,state1 or ,tribal public health agency or a related fellowship program in a position related to the course of study or program for which the contract was awarded for a period of time equal to the greater of-- 7,a7 #c years2 or 7,b7 such longer period of time as determined appropriate by the ,secretary and the individual2 7#c7 an agreement1 as appropriate1 on the part of the individual to relocate to a priority service area 7as determined by the ,secretary7 in exchange for an additional loan repayment incentive amount to be determined by the ,secretary2 7#d7 a provision that any financial obligation of the ,united ,states arising out of a contract entered into under this section and any obligation of the individual that is conditioned thereon1 is contingent on funds being appropriated for loan repayments under this section2 7#e7 a statement of the damages to which the ,united ,states is entitled1 under this section for the individual's breach of the contract2 and 7#f7 such other statements of the rights and liabilities of the ,secretary and of the individual as the ,secretary determines appropriate1 not inconsistent with this section4 7d7 ,payments 7#a7 ,in general ,a loan repayment provided for an individual under a written contract referred to in subsection 7b77#c77;,b7 shall consist of payment1 in accordance with paragraph 7#b71 on behalf of the individual of the principal1 interest1 and related expenses on government and commercial loans received by the individual regarding the undergraduate or graduate education of the individual 7or both71 which loans were made for tuition expenses incurred by the individual4 7#b7 ,payments for years served ,for each year of service that an individual contracts to serve pursuant to subsection 7c77#b71 the ,secretary may pay not more than #ce1jjj on behalf of the individual for loans described in paragraph 7#a74 ,with respect to participants under the ,program whose total eligible loans are less than #aje1jjj1 the ,secretary shall pay an amount that does not exceed of the eligible loan balance for each year of such service of such individual4 7#c7 ,tax liability ,for the purpose of providing reimbursements for tax liability resulting from payments under paragraph 7#b7 on behalf of an individual1 the ,secretary shall1 in addition to such payments1 make payments to the individual in an amount not to exceed #ci percent of the total amount of loan repayments made for the taxable year involved4 7e7 ,postponing obligated service ,with respect to an individual receiving a degree or certificate from a health professions or other related school1 the date of the initiation of the period of obligated service may be postponed as approved by the ,secretary4 7f7 ,breach of contract ,an individual who fails to comply with the contract entered into under subsection 7c7 shall be subject to the same financial penalties as provided for under section #cch;,e of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedo7 for breaches of loan repayment contracts under section #cch;,b of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 section #bedl-#a74 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section-- 7#a7 #ajj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj2 and 7#b7 #ge1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbe4 4