119-hr2527

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2527 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2527

To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children's vision and 
 eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal 
 organizations, and the provision of technical assistance to support 
 those efforts.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 31, 2025

 Mr. Veasey (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve children's vision and 
 eye health through grants to States, territories, and Tribal 
 organizations, and the provision of technical assistance to support 
 those efforts.

 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 ``Early Detection of Vision 
Impairments for Children Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND 
 SYSTEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S VISION AND EYE HEALTH.

 Part Q of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280h et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 399Z-3. STATEWIDE EARLY VISION DETECTION AND INTERVENTION 
 PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S VISION AND EYE 
 HEALTH.

 ``

    (a) Grants or Cooperative Agreements.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
 Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
 Administration, shall make awards of grants or cooperative 
 agreements to eligible entities to develop and implement 
 statewide early detection and intervention programs and systems 
 related to children's vision and eye health.
 ``

    (2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
 cooperative agreement under paragraph

    (1) , an entity shall--
 ``
        (A) be a State, territory, Indian Tribe or Tribal 
 organization, or Urban Indian organization, including a 
 State or community department of children and families, 
 health, or public health, or a State educational 
 agency; and
 ``
        (B) submit to the Secretary an application at 
 such time, in such manner, and containing such 
 information as the Secretary may require.
 ``

    (3) Use of awards.--Amounts provided under a grant or 
 cooperative agreement under paragraph

    (1) shall be used for 
 three or more of the following activities:
 ``
        (A) Implementing early detection practices (such 
 as vision screening) and intervention initiatives for 
 the purpose of identifying vision concerns in children 
 as they engage in the medical, home, public 
 educational, or early learning setting, promoting 
 referrals to eye care, and promoting the use of 
 evidence-based and age-appropriate standards guided by 
 nationally recognized and uniform guidelines.
 ``
        (B) Developing an integrated approach to State-
 level data collection and management to advance State-
 based performance improvement systems and uniform 
 children's vision and eye health guidelines across 
 relevant and appropriate State-level jurisdictions.
 ``
            (C) Identifying strategies to improve eye health 
 outcomes, expand access to care, and reduce health 
 disparities for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment 
 of ocular disease and eye conditions in children who 
 experience barriers to eye care from rural and 
 underserved populations.
 ``
            (D) Raising awareness by providing the public, 
 including families, guardians (permanent, legal, or 
 temporary), family or community caregivers, and early 
 learning settings with children's vision and eye health 
 information that is accurate, accessible, culturally 
 and linguistically competent, comprehensive, up-to-
 date, and evidence-based or evidence-informed.
 ``
        (E) Establishing a coordinated public health 
 system for vision care and eye health, including early 
 detection, referral to eye care, diagnosis and 
 intervention, and follow-up for children.
 ``
        (F) Providing referrals to wrap-around vision 
 services, as necessary, for a future of independent 
 living.
 ``

    (4) Collaboration with necessary community and state 
 partners.--In carrying out activities under this subsection, 
 the recipient of a grant or cooperative agreement shall consult 
 with necessary community and State partners, including State 
 agencies responsible for the administration of title V of 
 Social Security Act (the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant 
 Program), title XIX of such Act (the Medicaid Early Periodic 
 Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program), title XXI of such 
 Act (the State Children's Health Insurance Program), and parts 
 B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the 
 Indian Health Service, and consumer groups for the purposes of 
 program and policy development, collaboration, and improvement.
 ``

    (5) Evaluation and report.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--An entity that receives a grant 
 or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall 
 annually submit to the Secretary a report that 
 describes the activities carried out under the grant or 
 agreement, including a description of the period of 
 performance covered under the report, the scope of 
 activities carried out during such period, the outcomes 
 of such activities, and a demonstration of whether 
 funding recipients have met project goals for the 
 designated time period outlined in the initial 
 application under paragraph

    (2) .
 ``
        (B) Availability of reports.--The Secretary shall 
 make available to the general public the annual reports 
 under subparagraph
        (A) .
 ``

    (b) Technical Assistance.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide eligible 
 entities under subsection

    (a) with technical support in the 
 development, implementation, and enhancement of activities 
 described in such subsection.
 ``

    (2) Grants.--The Secretary, acting through the Director 
 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award 
 grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical 
 assistance to eligible entities to--
 ``
        (A) develop, maintain, and improve data 
 collection systems related to children's vision 
 screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention 
 services;
 ``
        (B) disseminate information for stakeholders, 
 including States and local governments, Indian Tribes, 
 Tribal organizations, Urban Indian organizations, 
 public health departments, and nonprofit organizations, 
 to launch effective strategies and interventions in 
 preventing and treating childhood vision disorders;
 ``
            (C) conduct applied research related to early 
 vision screening and intervention programs and 
 outcomes;
 ``
            (D) ensure quality monitoring of vision 
 screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and 
 systems; and
 ``
        (E) assist eligible entities in coordinating on 
 best practices and maintaining national goals related 
 to vision and eye health.
 ``

    (3) Evaluation.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the 
 date of enactment of this section, the recipient of a 
 grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection 
 shall evaluate the activities conducted with funds 
 received under this section and submit a report to the 
 Secretary on the outcomes, costs, and program 
 effectiveness of such activities.
 ``
        (B) Contents.--A report under subparagraph
        (A) shall be in such form and contain such information as 
 the Secretary determines appropriate.
 ``
            (C) Submission.--Upon determination by the 
 Secretary that a report under subparagraph
        (A) meets 
 the requirements of this paragraph, the recipient shall 
 submit the report to Congress.
 ``

    (4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
 cooperative agreement under this subsection, an entity shall be 
 a public or nonprofit private organization or institution, with 
 expertise, or demonstrated proficiency, in developing systems-
 based approaches to children's vision and eye health for the 
 purpose of providing technical assistance in relation to one or 
 more of the activities described in subsection

    (a) .
 ``
            (c) Coordination and Consultation.--The Secretary shall 
coordinate and consult with the Health Resources and Services 
Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Administration for 
Communities and Families, the Indian Health Service, and the Department 
of Education on recommendations for policy development at the Federal, 
State, and Tribal levels with the private sector, including consumer, 
medical, and other health and education child serving not-for-profit 
organizations with respect to early detection and intervention programs 
and systems.
 ``
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian Tribe' has the 
 meaning given to the term `Indian tribe' in 

section 102 of the 
 Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994.
 ``

    (2) State educational agency.--The term `State 
 educational agency' has the meaning given such term in 

section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
 ``

    (3) Tribal organization.--The term `Tribal organization' 
 has the meaning given such term in 

section 4 of the Indian 
 Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
 ``

    (4) Urban indian organization.--The term `Urban Indian 
 organization' has the meaning given such term in 

section 4 of 
 the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
 ``

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated--
 ``

    (1) to carry out this section, other than subsection

    (a)

    (5) , $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030; 
 and
 ``

    (2) to carry out subsection

    (a)

    (5) , $5,000,000 for each 
 of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.''.
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