119-hr5375

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5375 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5375

 To remove barriers to health professions by providing resources to 
 access foundational educational training, such as English language 
proficiency and adult basic education, and to require the provision of 
 child care, in demonstration projects funded under the health 
 profession opportunity grant program under 

section 2008 of the Social 
 Security Act.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 16, 2025

 Ms. Chu introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To remove barriers to health professions by providing resources to 
 access foundational educational training, such as English language 
proficiency and adult basic education, and to require the provision of 
 child care, in demonstration projects funded under the health 
 profession opportunity grant program under 

section 2008 of the Social 
 Security Act.

 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 ``Essential Skills and Child Care for 
Health Professions Act''.

SEC. 2. PROVISION OF FOUNDATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TRAINING AND CHILD CARE.

 

Section 2008 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397g) is 
amended by redesignating subsections
            (c) and
            (d) as subsections
            (d) and

    (e) , respectively, and by inserting after subsection

    (b) the following:
 ``
            (c) Provision of Foundational Educational Training and Child 
Care.--
 ``

    (1) Required support.--A demonstration project for which 
 a grant is made under this section shall include the following:
 ``
        (A) An assessment for adult basic skill 
 competency, and provision of adult basic skills 
 education if necessary for lower-skilled eligible 
 individuals to enroll in the project and go on to enter 
 and complete post-secondary training, through means 
 including the following:
 ``
            (i) Establishing a network of partners 
 that offer pre-training activities for project 
 participants who need to improve basic academic 
 skills or English language proficiency before 
 entering a health occupational training career 
 pathway program.
 ``
            (ii) Offering resources to enable project 
 participants to continue advancing adult basic 
 skill proficiency while enrolled in a career 
 pathway program.
 ``
            (iii) Embedding adult basic skill 
 maintenance as part of ongoing post-graduation 
 career coaching and mentoring.
 ``
        (B) A guarantee that child care is an available 
 and affordable support service for project participants 
 through means such as the following:
 ``
            (i) Referral to, and assistance with, 
 enrollment in a subsidized child care program.
 ``
            (ii) Direct payment to a child care 
 provider if a slot in a subsidized child care 
 program is not available or reasonably 
 accessible.
 ``
            (iii) Payment of co-payments or 
 associated fees for child care.
 ``

    (2) Allowed support.--The goods and services provided 
 under a demonstration project for which a grant is made under 
 this section may include assistance with accessing and 
 completing high school equivalency or adult basic education 
 courses as necessary to achieve success in the project and make 
 progress toward career goals.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

 The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 
2025.
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