,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #gedc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #i1 #bjbj,mr4 ,lewis 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,ms4 ,blunt ,rochester1 ,mrs4 ,hayes1 and ,mr4 ,serrano7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,vii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act to provide for a loan repayment program for the ,,hiv clinical and dental workforce1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,hiv ,epidemic ,loan-,repayment ,program ,act of #bjbj or the ,,help ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,loan repayment program for ,,hiv clinical and dental workforce ,part ,c of title ,,vii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bick et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,,iii ,loan ,repayment ,program for ,,hiv ,clinical and ,dental ,workforce #gdi;,b4 ,loan repayment program for ,,hiv clinical and dental workforce 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall carry out a program under which-- 7#a7 the ,secretary enters into agreements with physicians1 advanced practice registered nurses1 physician assistants1 clinical pharmacists1 and dentists to make payments in accordance with subsection 7b7 on the principal of and interest on any eligible loan2 and 7#b7 the individuals each agree to the requirements of service in ,,hiv treatment or ,,hiv dental care employment1 as described in subsection 7d74 7b7 ,payments ,for each year of obligated service by an individual pursuant to an agreement under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall make a payment to such individual as follows3 7#a7 ,service in a shortage area ,the ,secretary shall pay-- 7,a7 for each year of obligated service by an individual pursuant to an agreement under subsection 7a71 #a_/e of the principal of and interest on each eligible loan of the individual which is outstanding on the date the individual began service pursuant to the agreement2 and 7,b7 for completion of the fifth and final year of such service1 the remainder of such principal and interest4 7#b7 ,maximum amount ,the total amount of payments under this section to any individual shall not exceed #bej1jjj4 7c7 ,eligible loans ,the loans eligible for repayment under this section are each of the following3 7#a7 ,any loan for education or training for ,,hiv treatment employment4 7#b7 ,any loan under part ,e of title ,,viii 7relating to nursing student loans74 7#c7 ,any ,federal ,direct ,stafford ,loan1 ,federal ,direct ,,plus ,loan1 ,federal ,direct ,unsubsidized ,stafford ,loan1 or ,federal ,direct ,consolidation ,loan 7as such terms are used in section #dee of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife74 7#d7 ,any ,federal ,perkins ,loan under part ,e of title ,i of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 7#e7 ,any other ,federal loan as determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7d7 ,requirements of service ,any individual receiving payments under the program under this section as required by an agreement under subsection 7a7 shall agree to an annual commitment to full-time employment1 with no more than #a year passing between any #b years of ,,hiv treatment employment in the ,united ,states in a service area that is-- 7#a7 a health professional shortage area1 as designated under section #ccb2 7#b7 a clinical site awarded a grant or other assistance under title ,,xxvi for the provision of clinical or dental services2 or 7#c7 an area that meets criteria specified pursuant to subsection 7f74 7e7 ,waivers for half-,time service 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may issue waivers to individuals who have entered into a contract for obligated service under this section under which the individuals are authorized to satisfy the requirement of obligated service through providing service that is half time4 7#b7 ,applicable provisions ,the provisions of subparts ,,ii and ,,iii of part ,d of title ,,iii respecting waivers under section #cca7;i7 and half-time service pursuant to such waivers shall apply to waivers and half-time service under this section to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to the ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,loan ,repayment ,program4 7f7 ,criteria for additional service areas ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall establish criteria for additional service areas for purposes of the requirement under subsection 7d74 7g7 ,ineligibility for double benefits ,no borrower may1 for the same service1 receive a reduction of loan obligations or a loan repayment under both-- 7#a7 this section2 and 7#b7 any federally supported loan forgiveness program1 including under section #cch;,b1 #cch;,i1 or #hdf of this ,act1 or section #dbh;,j1 #dbh,l1 #dee7m71 or #dfj of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife4 7h7 ,breach 7#a7 ,liquidated damages formula ,the ,secretary may establish a liquidated damages formula to be used in the event of a breach of an agreement entered into under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,limitation ,the failure by an individual to complete the full period of service obligated pursuant to such an agreement1 taken alone1 shall not constitute a breach of the agreement1 so long as the individual completed in good faith the years of service for which payments were made to the individual under this section4 7i7 ,additional criteria ,the ,secretary-- 7#a7 may establish such criteria and rules to carry out this section as the ,secretary determines are needed and in addition to the criteria and rules specified in this section2 and 7#b7 shall give notice to the committees specified in subsection 7j7 of any criteria and rules so established4 7j7 ,report to congress ,not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this section1 and every other year thereafter1 the ,secretary shall prepare and submit to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate a report on-- 7#a7 the number1 provider type1 and location of borrowers who have qualified for loan repayments under this section2 and 7#b7 the impact of this section on the availability of ,,hiv clinical care and treatment or ,,hiv dental care nationally1 in shortage areas1 and in ,states1 counties1 and other jurisdictions targeted by the ,federal ,end the ,,hiv ,epidemic ,initiative4 7k7 ,definition ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term ,,hiv means the human immunodeficiency virus4 7#b7 ,the term ,,hiv treatment employment means employment 7including a fellowship7-- 7,a7 as a physician1 physician assistant1 advanced practice registered nurse1 clinical pharmacist1 dentist1 or other relevant practitioner licensed or certified in accordance with applicable ,state and ,federal law1 where the primary intent and function of the position is the direct treatment and care of persons living with ,,hiv2 and 7,b7 which is located at an ,,hiv treatment program1 which could be affiliated with a private practice1 community health center1 telehealth platform1 migrant health center1 academic medical center1 hospital1 rural health program1 health program or facility operated by an ,indian tribe or tribal organization1 ,federal medical facility1 or any other facility as determined appropriate for purposes of this section by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,the terms ,indian tribe and tribal organization have the meanings given those terms in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act4 7#d7 ,the term jurisdiction means a city1 town1 county1 or other public body created by or pursuant to ,state law1 or an ,indian tribe4 7l7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbf4 4