[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 975 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 975
To establish a grant program to support schools of medicine and schools
of osteopathic medicine in underserved areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 12, 2025
Mr. Kaine (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program to support schools of medicine and schools
of osteopathic medicine in underserved areas.
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 ``Expanding Medical Education Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE AND SCHOOLS OF OSTEOPATHIC
MEDICINE IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
Subpart II of part C of title VII of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 293m et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 749C. GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE AND SCHOOLS OF OSTEOPATHIC
MEDICINE IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to institutions
of higher education (including consortiums of such institutions) for
the establishment, improvement, or expansion of a school of medicine or
osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of a school of medicine or
osteopathic medicine.
``(b) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients under this section,
the Secretary shall give priority to any institution of higher
education (or consortium of such institutions) that--
``(1) proposes to use the grant for the establishment of a
school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus
of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, in an area--
``(A) in which--
``(i) no other such school is based; or
``(ii) in the case in which the school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine proposed to be
established would be a minority-serving
institution, no other minority-serving
institution that includes a school of medicine
or osteopathic medicine is based; and
``(B) that is a medically underserved community or
a health professional shortage area; or
``(2) is a minority-serving institution described in
section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 or an
institution or program described in section 326(e) of such Act.
``(c) Considerations.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary, to the extent practicable, may ensure equitable distribution
of awards among the geographical regions of the United States.
``(d) Use of Funds.--An institution of higher education (or a
consortium of such institutions)--
``(1) shall use grant amounts received under this section
to--
``(A) recruit, enroll, and retain medical students
who are pursuing a degree of doctor of medicine or
doctor of osteopathy, including individuals who are
from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and
ethnic groups underrepresented among medical students
and health professions), individuals from rural and
underserved areas, low-income individuals, and first
generation college students, at a school of medicine or
osteopathic medicine or branch campus of a school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine; and
``(B) develop, implement, and expand curriculum
that emphasizes care for rural and underserved
populations, including accessible and culturally and
linguistically appropriate care and services, at such
school or branch campus; and
``(2) may use grant amounts received under this section
to--
``(A) plan and construct--
``(i) a school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine, or a branch campus of a school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine, in an area in
which no other such school is based; or
``(ii) a school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine, or a branch campus of a school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine, that will be
a minority-serving institution, in an area in
which no other such school that is a minority-
serving institution is based;
``(B) plan, develop, and meet criteria for
accreditation for a school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine or branch campus of a school of medicine or
osteopathic medicine;
``(C) hire faculty, including faculty from racial
and ethnic groups who are underrepresented among the
medical and other health professions, and other staff
to serve at such a school or branch campus;
``(D) support educational programs at such a school
or branch campus;
``(E) modernize and expand infrastructure at such a
school or branch campus; and
``(F) support other activities that the Secretary
determines further the establishment, improvement, or
expansion of a school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine or branch campus of a school of medicine or
osteopathic medicine.
``(e) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (a), an institution of higher education (or a consortium of
such institutions), shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require, including a description of the institution's or
consortium's planned activities described in subsection (d).
``(f) Reporting.--
``(1) Reports from entities.--Each institution of higher
education, or consortium of such institutions, awarded a grant
under this section shall submit an annual report to the
Secretary on the activities conducted under such grant, and
other information as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 5 years after the
date of enactment of this section and every 5 years thereafter,
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report
that provides a summary of the activities and outcomes
associated with grants made under this section. Such reports
shall include--
``(A) a list of awardees, including their primary
geographic location, and location of any school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus of
school of medicine or osteopathic medicine that was
established, improved, or expanded under this program;
``(B) the total number of students (including the
number of students from racial and ethnic groups
underrepresented among medical students and health
professions, low-income students, and first generation
college students) who--
``(i) are enrolled at or who have graduated
from any school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine, or a branch campus of school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine, that was
established, improved, or expanded under this
program, deidentified and disaggregated by
race, ethnicity, age, sex, geographic region,
disability status, and other relevant factors,
to the extent such information is available;
and
``(ii) who subsequently participate in an
accredited internship or medical residency
program upon graduation from any school of
medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch
campus of a school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine, that was established, improved, or
expanded under this program, deidentified and
disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, sex,
geographic region, disability status, medical
specialty pursued, and other relevant factors,
to the extent such information is available;
``(C) the effects of such program on the health
care provider workforce, including any impact on
demographic representation disaggregated by race,
ethnicity, and sex, and the fields or specialties
pursued by students who have graduated from any school
of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or a branch campus
of school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, that was
established, improved, or expanded under this program;
``(D) the effects of such program on health care
access in underserved areas, including medically
underserved communities and health professional
shortage areas; and
``(E) recommendations for improving the program
described in this section, and any other considerations
as the Secretary determines appropriate.
``(3) Public availability.--The Secretary shall make
reports submitted under paragraph (2) publicly available on the
website of the Department of Health and Human Services.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Branch campus.--
``(A) In general.--The term `branch campus', with
respect to a school of medicine or osteopathic
medicine, means an additional location of such school
that is geographically apart and independent of the
main campus, at which the school offers at least 50
percent of the program leading to a degree of doctor of
medicine or doctor of osteopathy that is offered at the
main campus.
``(B) Independence from main campus.--For purposes
of subparagraph (A), the location of a school described
in such subparagraph shall be considered to be
independent of the main campus described in such
subparagraph if the location--
``(i) is permanent in nature;
``(ii) offers courses in educational
programs leading to a degree, certificate, or
other recognized educational credential;
``(iii) has its own faculty and
administrative or supervisory organization; and
``(iv) has its own budgetary and hiring
authority.
``(2) First generation college student.--The term `first
generation college student' has the meaning given such term in
section 402A(h)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(3) Health professional shortage area.--The term `health
professional shortage area' has the meaning given such term in
section 332(a).
``(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
``(5) Medically underserved community.--The term `medically
underserved community' has the meaning given such term in
section 799B(6).
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
section.''.
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