[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3511 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3511
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Assistant
Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to establish a grant
program for certain undergraduate or graduate students who agree to
work as school psychologists, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 20, 2025
Mr. Gottheimer (for himself and Ms. Friedman) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Assistant
Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to establish a grant
program for certain undergraduate or graduate students who agree to
work as school psychologists, and for other purposes.
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 ``Preparing for the Future Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290dd
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 554. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
``(a) Program Established.--
``(1) Program authority.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations under subsection (c), the Assistant Secretary
shall pay to each eligible institution such sums as may be
necessary to pay to each eligible recipient who files an
application and agreement in accordance with subsection (b) a
grant for school psychology in the amount of $8,000 for each
year during which such eligible recipient is within the period
of eligibility under paragraph (4) at such eligible
institution.
``(2) Payment methodology.--
``(A) Prepayment.--Not less than 85 percent of any
funds provided to an eligible institution under
paragraph (1) shall be advanced to such eligible
institution prior to the start of each payment period
(as such period is determined by the Assistant
Secretary) and shall be based upon an amount requested
by such institution as needed to pay eligible
recipients who receive grants under this section, until
such time as the Assistant Secretary determines and
publishes in the Federal Register (with an opportunity
for comment) an alternative payment system that
provides payments to such institutions in an accurate
and timely manner, except that this sentence shall not
be construed to limit the authority of the Assistant
Secretary to place an institution on a reimbursement
system of payment.
``(B) Direct payment.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be interpreted to prohibit the Assistant
Secretary from paying directly to an eligible
recipient, in advance of the beginning of the academic
term, an amount for which such eligible recipient is
eligible, in cases in which an eligible institution
fails to implement subparagraph (A).
``(C) Distribution of grants to eligible
recipients.--Payments under this section shall be made,
in accordance with regulations promulgated by the
Assistant Secretary for such purpose, in such manner as
will best accomplish the purposes of this section. Any
payment allowed to be made by crediting the account of
an eligible recipient shall be limited to tuition and
fees and, in the case of housing owned by an eligible
institution, room and board.
``(3) Reductions in amount.--
``(A) Part-time students.--In any case in which an
eligible recipient attends an eligible institution on
less than a full-time basis (including an eligible
recipient who attends an eligible institution on less
than a half-time basis) during any year, the amount of
a grant under this section for which such eligible
recipient is eligible shall be reduced in proportion to
the degree to which such eligible recipient is not
attending on a full-time basis, in accordance with a
schedule of reductions established by the Assistant
Secretary for the purposes of this section, computed in
accordance with this section. Such schedule of
reductions shall be established by regulation and
published in the Federal Register.
``(B) No exceeding cost.--The amount of a grant
awarded under this section, in combination with Federal
assistance and other assistance an eligible recipient
who is a student may receive, shall not exceed the cost
of attendance (as defined in section 472 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965) of the eligible institution at
which such eligible recipient is in attendance.
``(4) Period of eligibility for grants.--
``(A) Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate
students.--The period during which an eligible
recipient who is an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate
student may receive a grant under this section shall be
the period after such eligible recipient has completed
half of the required credit hours for a first
undergraduate baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate
course of study being pursued by such eligible
recipient at an eligible institution at which such
eligible recipient is in attendance, except that the
total amount that an eligible recipient may receive
under this section for undergraduate or post-
baccalaureate study shall not exceed $16,000.
``(B) Graduate students.--The period during which
an eligible recipient who is a graduate student may
receive grants under this section shall be the first
and second year of a graduate or professional degree
program in school psychology that is pursued by such
eligible recipient at an eligible institution at which
such eligible recipient is in attendance, except that
the total amount that an eligible recipient may receive
under this section for graduate study shall not exceed
$16,000.
``(C) Remedial course; study abroad.--Nothing in
this subsection shall be construed to exclude from
eligibility courses of study which are noncredit or
remedial in nature (including courses in English
language acquisition) which are determined by the
eligible institution at which an eligible recipient is
in attendance to be necessary to help such eligible
recipient be prepared for the pursuit of a first
undergraduate baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate
degree or certificate or, in the case of courses in
English language instruction, to be necessary to enable
such eligible recipient to utilize already existing
knowledge, training, or skills. Nothing in this
subsection shall be construed to exclude from
eligibility programs of study abroad that are approved
for credit by the home institution at which an eligible
recipient is enrolled.
``(b) Applications; Eligibility.--
``(1) Applications; demonstration of eligibility.--
``(A) Filing required.--The Assistant Secretary
shall periodically set dates by which an applicant
shall file an application for a grant under this
section. Each applicant desiring a grant under this
section for any year shall file an application
containing such information and assurances as the
Assistant Secretary may determine necessary to enable
the Assistant Secretary to carry out the functions and
responsibilities of this section.
``(B) Demonstration of eligibility.--Each
application submitted under subparagraph (A) shall
contain such information as is necessary to demonstrate
that--
``(i) if the applicant is an enrolled
student--
``(I) such applicant is an eligible
student for purposes of section 484 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
``(II) such applicant--
``(aa) has a grade point
average that is determined,
under standards prescribed by
the Assistant Secretary, to be
comparable to a 3.25 average on
a zero to 4.0 scale, except
that, if such applicant is
eligible for a grant under this
section in the first year of a
program of undergraduate
education, the grade point
average of such applicant shall
be determined on the basis of
the cumulative secondary school
grade point average of such
student; or
``(bb) displayed high
academic aptitude by receiving
a score above the 75th
percentile on at least one of
the batteries in an
undergraduate, post-
baccalaureate, or graduate
school admissions test; and
``(ii) such applicant has outlined and is
carrying out, or plans to carry out, a step-by-
step educational plan for how to satisfy any
requirements needed to receive a school
psychologist credential, if such credential is
required, and begin serving as a school
psychologist.
``(C) Educational plan.--The educational plan
described in subparagraph (B)(ii) shall include, for an
applicant--
``(i) the courses such applicant has
enrolled in, or plans to enroll in;
``(ii) the plan of such applicant to
satisfy any requirements other than coursework
needed to receive a school psychologist
credential, if such credential is required, and
begin serving as a school psychologist; and
``(iii) a justification for any
undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate
or professional degree program related to
school psychology that such applicant is
enrolled in or plans to enroll in and for which
such applicant is receiving or plans to seek a
grant under this section, including whether
such program is needed to receive a school
psychologist credential.
``(2) Agreements to serve.--Each application under
paragraph (1) shall contain or be accompanied by an agreement
by the applicant that--
``(A) such applicant will--
``(i) serve as a full-time school
psychologist (referred to in this subsection as
the `service obligation') in a covered school
for a total of not less than 4 academic years
within 8 years after completing--
``(I) the course of study for which
the applicant received a grant under
this section; or
``(II) for an applicant who
received a grant under this section
during both a period described in
subsection (a)(4)(A) and a period
described in subsection (a)(4)(B), the
graduate or professional degree program
for which the applicant received a
grant under this section; and
``(ii) submit a certification of employment
by the chief administrative officer of the
covered school in accordance with paragraph
(4)(D); and
``(iii) receive a school psychologist
credential;
``(B) in the event that such applicant is
determined to have failed or refused to carry out such
service obligation, the sum of the amounts of any
grants received by such applicant under this section
will be treated as a loan and collected from such
applicant in accordance with paragraph (3) and the
regulations thereunder; and
``(C) contains, or is accompanied by, a plain-
language disclosure form developed by the Assistant
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Education (with respect to loan repayment
requirements), that clearly describes the nature of the
grant award under this section, the service obligation,
and the loan repayment requirements that are the
consequence of the failure to complete the service
obligation.
``(3) Repayment for failure to complete service.--
``(A) In general.--In the event that any eligible
recipient who receives a grant under this section fails
or refuses to comply with the service obligation in the
agreement under paragraph (2), the sum of the amounts
of any grants received by such recipient under this
section shall, upon a determination of such a failure
or refusal in such service obligation, be treated as a
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D
of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and
shall be subject to repayment, together with interest
thereon accruing from the date of the grant award, in
accordance with terms and conditions specified by the
Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary
of Education, in regulations under this section.
``(B) Reconsideration of conversion decisions.--
``(i) Request to reconsider.--In any case
where the Assistant Secretary has determined
that an eligible recipient who receives a grant
under this section has failed or refused to
comply with the service obligation in the
agreement under paragraph (2) and has
converted, in consultation with the Secretary
of Education, the grant into a Federal Direct
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan in accordance with
subparagraph (A) (including cases in which such
loans have been fully or partially paid), such
eligible recipient may request that the
Assistant Secretary reconsider such initial
determination and may submit additional
information to demonstrate satisfaction of such
service obligation. Upon receipt of such a
request, the Assistant Secretary shall
reconsider the determination in accordance with
this subparagraph not later than 90 days after
the date that such request was received.
``(ii) Reconsideration.--If, in
reconsidering an initial determination under
clause (i), the Assistant Secretary determines
that the reason for such determination was the
failure of the eligible recipient who received
a grant under this section to timely submit a
certification required under paragraph
(2)(A)(ii), an error or processing delay by the
Assistant Secretary, a change to the covered
schools considered eligible for fulfillment of
the service obligation, an eligible recipient
who received a grant under this section having
previously requested to have such grant under
this section converted to a loan, or another
valid reason determined by the Assistant
Secretary, and that such recipient has, as of
the date of the reconsideration, demonstrated
that such recipient did meet, or is meeting,
the service obligation in the agreement under
paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary, in
consultation with the Secretary of Education,
shall--
``(I) discharge the Federal Direct
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan and
reinstate the grant under this section
to such recipient;
``(II) discharge any interest or
fees that may have accumulated during
the period that the grant was converted
to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized
Stafford Loan;
``(III) if such recipient has other
loans under part D of title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965, apply any
payments made for the Federal Direct
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan during such
period to those other loans;
``(IV) if such recipient does not
have other loans under such part D,
reimburse such recipient for any
amounts paid on the Federal Direct
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan during such
period;
``(V) request that consumer
reporting agencies remove any negative
item of information from a consumer
report due to the conversion of the
grant under this section to a loan; and
``(VI) use any additional
information provided under clause (i)
to determine the progress such
recipient has made in meeting the
service obligation.
``(iii) Extension of time to complete
service obligation.--In the case of an eligible
recipient who receives a grant under this
section whose grant under this section was
reinstated in accordance with clause (ii), the
Assistant Secretary shall, upon such
reinstatement--
``(I) extend the time remaining for
such recipient to fulfill the service
obligation described in paragraph
(2)(A) to a period of time equal to--
``(aa) 8 years; minus
``(bb) the number of full
or partial academic years of
service as a school
psychologist that such
recipient completed prior to
the reconversion of the loan to
a grant under clause (ii),
including any years of
qualifying service as a school
psychologist completed during
the period when the grant under
this section was in loan
status; and
``(II) treat any full or partial
academic years of service as a school
psychologist described in subclause
(I)(bb) as years that count toward the
service obligation of such recipient
(regardless of whether the grant funds
under this section were in grant or
loan status) if such service otherwise
meet the requirements of this
subsection.
``(4) Additional administrative provisions.--
``(A) Extenuating circumstances.--The Assistant
Secretary shall establish, by regulation, categories of
extenuating circumstances under which an eligible
recipient who receives a grant under this section who
is unable to fulfill all or part of the service
obligation of such recipient may be excused from
fulfilling that portion of the service obligation.
``(B) Communication with recipients.--The Assistant
Secretary shall notify each eligible recipient who
receives a grant under this section not less than once
per calendar year regarding how to submit the
certification of employment under paragraph (2)(A)(ii)
and the recommendations and requirements for submitting
such certification under subparagraph (D) of this
paragraph.
``(C) Covered schools.--The Assistant Secretary
shall maintain and annually update a list of covered
schools and shall make such list publicly available on
the website of the Administration in a sortable and
searchable format.
``(D) Submission of employment certification.--
``(i) Recommended submissions.--The
Assistant Secretary shall notify each eligible
recipient who receives a grant under this
section that the Administration recommends that
such recipient submits the certification of
employment described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii) as
soon as practicable after the completion of
each year of service.
``(ii) Required submission.--An eligible
recipient who receives a grant under this
section shall be required to submit to the
Administration the certification of employment
described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii) within a
timeframe that would allow such recipient to
complete the service obligation of such
recipient before the end of the period of such
service obligation.
``(iii) Notification.--The Assistant
Secretary shall notify each eligible recipient
who receives a grant under this section of the
required submission deadlines described in this
subparagraph.
``(iv) Adjustment of deadline.--The
Assistant Secretary shall adjust the submission
deadline described in clause (ii) to account
for any extension of the period of the service
obligation.
``(v) Alternative to certification.--The
Assistant Secretary shall provide an
alternative to the certification of employment
described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii) for any
eligible recipient who receives a grant under
this section who cannot obtain such required
certification of employment from the chief
administrative officer of the covered school of
such recipient because such recipient can
demonstrate such covered school is no longer in
existence or such covered school refuses to
cooperate.
``(c) Program Period; Authorization of Appropriations.--Beginning
on January 1 of the year immediately following the year of the date of
the enactment of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated
to the Assistant Secretary to carry out this section such sums as may
be necessary to provide grants to each eligible applicant in accordance
with this section.
``(d) Program Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date
described in subsection (c), and every 2 years thereafter, the
Assistant Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee
on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives a report on
grants under this section with respect to the covered schools and
students served by eligible recipients who receive grants under this
section. Such report shall take into consideration information related
to--
``(1) the number of such recipients;
``(2) the degrees obtained by each such recipient;
``(3) the location, including the covered school, local
educational agency, and State, where each such recipient is
completing or has completed the service obligation agreed to
under subsection (b)(2);
``(4) the duration of service of each such recipient;
``(5) any change in the ratio of school psychologists to
students at each such covered school; and
``(6) data about any change, beginning on the date that
each such recipient begins to carry out the service obligation
of such recipient at a covered school, in student well-being at
such covered school, including, to the maximum extent
practicable, any such change directly attributable to the
presence of such recipient at such covered school.
``(e) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section:
``(1) Covered school.--The term `covered school' means a
public or other nonprofit private elementary school or
secondary school, which, for the purpose of that year--
``(A) has been determined by the Assistant
Secretary (pursuant to regulations of the Assistant
Secretary and after consultation with the State
educational agency of the State in which the school is
located) to be a school in which the ratio of school
psychologists to students is lesser than 1 to 500; and
``(B) is in the school district of a local
educational agency which is eligible in such year for
assistance pursuant to part A of title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
``(2) Eligible institution.--The term `eligible
institution' means an institution of higher education, as
defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965,
that the Assistant Secretary determines--
``(A) provides high quality preparation and
professional development services for school
psychology, including extensive clinical experience as
a part of pre-service preparation;
``(B) is financially responsible;
``(C) imposes coursework and other requirements
that enable or prepare, as applicable, a student, upon
graduation from such institution, to--
``(i) receive a school psychologist
credential, if such credential is required, and
begin serving as a school psychologist; or
``(ii) enter into a graduate or
professional degree program that imposes
coursework and other requirements that enable
or prepare, as applicable, such student, upon
graduation, to receive such credential, if
required, and begin such service; and
``(D) provides supervision and support services to
school psychologists, or assistance in the provision of
such services, including mentoring focused on
developing effective skills and strategies related to
school psychology.
``(3) Eligible recipient.--The term `eligible recipient'
means an applicant under subsection (b)(1) that the Assistant
Secretary has determined is eligible to receive a grant under
this section.
``(4) ESEA terms.--The terms `elementary school', `local
educational agency', `secondary school', and `State educational
agency' have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965.
``(5) Nonprofit; state.--The terms `nonprofit' and `State'
have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in section
103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(6) Post-baccalaureate.--The term `post-baccalaureate'
means a program of instruction for individuals who have
completed a baccalaureate degree, that does not lead to a
graduate degree, and that consists of courses required by a
State in order for an eligible recipient to receive a school
psychologist credential, except that such term shall not
include any program of instruction offered by an eligible
institution that offers a baccalaureate degree in school
psychology.
``(7) School psychologist credential.--The term `school
psychologist credential' means a professional certification or
licensing credential that is required for employment as a
school psychologist in an elementary school or secondary school
in a State.''.
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