119-hr5377

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5377 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5377

To require geographical diversity in the provision of health profession 
 opportunity grants under 

section 2008 of the Social Security Act, and 
to require the support services provided through the use of the grants 
 to include a transportation assistance plan.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 16, 2025

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

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To require geographical diversity in the provision of health profession 
 opportunity grants under 

section 2008 of the Social Security Act, and 
to require the support services provided through the use of the grants 
 to include a transportation assistance plan.

 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 ``Rural Health Training Opportunities 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY IN PROVISION OF GRANTS; INCLUSION OF 
 TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE PLAN AMONG SUPPORT SERVICES.

 

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) Geographical Diversity; Transportation Assistance Plan.--
 ``

    (1) Preference for applications for projects to serve a 
 rural area.--In considering applications for a grant under this 
 section, the Secretary shall give preference to applications 
 which describe a demonstration project that will serve a rural 
 area in which--
 ``
        (A) the community in which the individuals to be 
 enrolled in the project reside is located;
 ``
        (B) the project will be conducted; or
 ``
            (C) an employer partnership that has committed to 
 hiring individuals who successfully complete all 
 activities under the project is located.
 ``

    (2) Support required to include transportation assistance 
 plan.--A project for which a grant is made under this section 
 shall include a plan to provide project participants with 
 transportation through means such as the following:
 ``
        (A) Referral to, and assistance with enrollment 
 in, a subsidized transportation program.
 ``
        (B) If a subsidized transportation program is not 
 reasonably available, direct payments to subsidize 
 transportation costs.
 For purposes of this paragraph, the term `transportation' 
 includes public transit, or gasoline for a personal vehicle if 
 public transit is not reasonably accessible or available.
 ``

    (3) Reports to the congress.--During each Congress, the 
 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of 
 the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of 
 the Senate a report--
 ``
        (A) on, with respect to the period since the 
 period covered in the most recent prior report 
 submitted under this paragraph--
 ``
            (i) the number of applications submitted 
 under each subsection of this section, with a 
 separate statement of the number of 
 applications referred to in paragraph

    (1) ; and
 ``
            (ii) the number of the applications that 
 were approved, with a separate statement of the 
 number of such applications referred to in 
 paragraph

    (1) ; and
 ``
        (B) that includes an assessment of the 
 effectiveness of the demonstration projects conducted 
 under this section with respect to addressing health 
 professions workforce shortages or in-demand jobs in 
 rural areas.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

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