,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cfcd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #f1 #bjbj,mr4 ,durbin 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,jones1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,ms4 ,harris1 and ,ms4 ,baldwin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to address health workforce shortages and disparities highlighted by the ,,covid-#ai pandemic through additional funding for the ,national ,health ,service ,corps and ,nurse ,corps4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,health ,heroes #bjbj ,act4 #b4 ,additional funding for the scholarship program of the ,national ,health ,service ,corps 7a7 ,additional funding ,section #ajejc7;b7 of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;b-#b7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a77;,f71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b77;,h71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 to be transferred to the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services-- 7,a7 #be1jjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj1 to provide additional funding to carry out subsection 7i7 of section #cch;,a of the ,public ,health ,service ,act and the ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,loan ,program under section #cch;,b of such ,act1 of which-- 7i7 #ae1jjj1jjj1jjj shall be allocated to the program under section #cch;,a2 and 7ii7 #aj1jjj1jjj1jjj shall be allocated to the program under such section #cch;,b2 and 7,b7 #fij1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbf1 to provide additional amounts to carry out the ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,scholarship ,program under section #cch;,a of the ,public ,health ,service ,act1 the ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,loan ,repayment ,program under section #cch;,b of such ,act1 and the reserve service program under section #cch,o of such ,act4 4 7b7 ,criteria for use of additional funding for in-,demand professionals ,section #cch;,a of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7i7 ,not less than #dj percent of the amounts made available to carry out this section under #ajejc7;b77#c77;,a77i7 of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act shall be allocated to scholarships under this section for eligible applicants who are members of groups that are historically underrepresented in health care professions1 including racial and ethnic minorities and individuals from low-income urban and rural communities4 ,to carry out the requirements of this subsection1 the ,secretary may coordinate with entities receiving funding under section #gci to identify1 recruit1 and select individuals to receive such scholarships4 4 7c7 ,national health service corps reserve demonstration project 7#a7 ,in general ,subpart ,,iii of part ,d of title ,,iii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #cch,o4 ,national health service corps reserve service demonstration project 7a7 ,in general ,from the amounts made available under section #ajejc7;b77#c77;,b7 of the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbd1 the ,secretary shall1 to the extent permitted by1 and consistent with1 the requirements of applicable ,state law1 use such sums as the ,secretary determines necessary to establish1 as a demonstration project1 a ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,reserve ,service 7referred to in this section as the reserve service7 under which a qualified individual agrees to engage in service for a period specified in a contract under this section in such reserve service under this section4 7b7 ,reserve service requirements ,an individual whose obligated service under a contract under section #cch;,a is provided1 pursuant to a contract under subsection 7a71 as reserve service1 and any other participating individual described in subparagraph 7,b7 of subsection 7c77#b7 may practice a health profession in any private capacity1 subject to the following requirements3 7#a7 ,in the event of a public health emergency declared under section #cai1 a major disaster declared by the ,president under section #dja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act1 or an emergency declared by the ,president under section #eja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act or a national emergency declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act1 for the duration of such emergency or disaster1 such individual shall be subject to serve in such capacity as the ,secretary shall determine appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section1 and in accordance with the ,secretary's plan to increase surge capacity in response to public health emergencies or disasters4 ,such service may be furnished in coordination with the ,corps described in section #bjd1 a ,state1 territorial1 or local public health department1 or through the process described in section #cai7;e74 7#b7 ,not less frequently than #b days each month1 and for a total of not fewer than #cj days each year1 as directed by the ,secretary1 such individual shall-- 7,a7 conduct trainings on public health preparedness and response activities1 which may be in coordination with the ,state1 territorial1 or local health department2 or 7,b7 furnish health care services to low-income individuals in a health professional shortage area 7as defined under section #ccb7;a771 a medically underserved population 7as defined under section #ccj7;b77#c771 or a medically underserved area or area at high risk of a public health emergency as designated by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,qualified individuals ,an individual may be eligible to participate in the reserve service under this section if such individual meets one of the following criteria3 7#a7 ,an individual participating in the ,scholarship ,program under section #cch;,a may satisfy the obligated service requirement under such program if the individual's contract provides for such service4 7#b7 ,an individual who participated in the ,loan ,repayment ,program under section #cch;,b and who satisfied the obligated service requirements under such program1 in accordance with the individual's contract4 7#c7 ,an individual who-- 7,a7 did not participate in the ,scholarship ,program under section #cch;,a or the ,loan ,repayment ,program under section #cch;,b2 7,b7 has a graduate degree in medicine1 osteopathic medicine1 dentistry1 or another health profession1 or an appropriate graduate degree from a program of behavioral or mental health1 or is certified as a nurse midwife1 nurse practitioner1 or physician assistant2 7,c7 holds a license issued by a ,state1 the ,district of ,columbia1 or a territory to practice the applicable profession2 7,d7 is otherwise qualified to practice1 and has experience practicing1 in a profession-- 7i7 described in section #cch;,b7a77#a72 or 7ii7 another high-demand health care field or specialty that the ,secretary identifies1 through a process conducted every #c years1 as a field or specialty of national priority1 based on relative workforce shortages1 expected workforce changes1 or projected changes in patient needs2 and 7,e7 satisfies any other eligibility or application requirements specified by the ,secretary in order to demonstrate the individual's qualifications4 7d7 ,reserve service plan ,in carrying out this section1 the ,secretary shall establish1 in coordination with the ,surgeon ,general and ,state1 tribal1 and local health departments1 an action plan for the service commitments1 priority areas1 coordination efforts1 training requirements1 and such other considerations as the ,secretary determines appropriate1 to ensure the complementary1 additive capacity of such individuals providing reserve service4 7e7 ,contracts for certain participating individuals ,an individual described in subparagraph 7,b7 of subsection 7c77#b7 who is participating in the reserve service program under this section shall receive loan repayments in an amount equal to #ej percent of the amount of payments that would be required with respect to a participant of the same clinical profession in the ,loan ,repayment ,program pursuant to a contract entered into at the same time under section #cch;,b7g71 in a manner similar to the manner in which payments are made under such section1 pursuant to the terms of a contract between the ,secretary and such individual4 ,the ,secretary shall establish a system of contracting for purposes of this subsection which shall be similar to the contract requirements and terms under subsections 7c71 7d71 and 7f7 of section #cch;,b4 7f7 ,report ,not later than #e years after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives a report that evaluates the demonstration project established under this section1 including-- 7#a7 the effects of such program on health care access1 public health emergency response capacity1 and the provider workforce pipeline2 and 7#b7 any other considerations as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendments 7,a7 ,scholarship program ,section #cch;,a of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedl7 is amended-- 7i7 in subsection 7b77#b71 by inserting 1 or be eligible for1 or hold1 an appointment in the reserve service under section #cch,o before the semicolon2 7ii7 in subsection 7c77#b77;,b71 by inserting or through reserve service under an agreement under section #cch,o after section #cch;,d2 and 7iii7 in the flush text of subsection 7f77#a77;,b77v71 by inserting 1 including service under the reserve service in accordance with section #cch,o1 as applicable before the semicolon at the end4 7,b7 ,obligated service ,section #cch;,c of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bedm7 is amended-- 7i7 in subsection 7a71 by inserting or #cch,o after section #cch;,d2 and 7ii7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,i7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking 1 or and inserting a semicolon2 7,,ii7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking agreement1 and inserting agreement2 or2 and 7,,iii7 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7 the following3 7#c7 in the case of an individual who enters into an agreement with the ,secretary under section #cch,o1 on the date specified in such agreement1 4 #c4 ,funding for the ,nurse ,corps ,scholarship and ,loan ,repayment ,program 7a7 ,funding ,there are hereby appropriated1 out of amounts in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 #e1jjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj1 for purposes of carrying out section #hdf of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bign71 to remain available until expended1 except that-- 7#a7 of the amount appropriated under this heading and made available for scholarships1 not less than #dj percent shall be allocated to scholarships for eligible applicants who are members of groups that are historically underrepresented in health care professions1 including racial and ethnic minorities and individuals from low-income urban and rural communities2 and 7#b7 to carry out the requirements of paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary may coordinate with entities receiving funding under section #hba to identify1 recruit1 and select individuals to receive such scholarships4 7b7 ,emergency designation 7#a7 ,in general ,the amounts provided by this section are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section #d7;g7 of the ,statutory ,pay-,as-,you-,go ,act of #bjaj 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #icc7;g774 7#b7 ,designation in senate ,in the ,senate1 this section is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section #daab7;a7 of ,h4 ,con4 ,res4 #ga 7#aaeth ,congress71 the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year #bjah4 #d4 ,flexibility for members of ,national ,health ,service ,corps during emergency periods ,section #ccc of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;f7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,during any public health emergency declared by the ,secretary under section #cai1 the ,secretary may1 notwithstanding any other provision of this section1 assign ,corps members1 with the voluntary agreement of such ,corps members1 to provide such health services at such places1 and for such number of hours1 as the ,secretary determines necessary to respond to such emergency1 provided that the total number of hours required are the same as were required of such members prior to the change of assignment4 4