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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9842 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9842

     To amend the Public Health Service Act to maintain the Rural 
      Communities Opioid Response Program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 2024

 Mrs. Miller of West Virginia (for herself, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Ms. 
   Sewell, and Ms. Kuster) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
     To amend the Public Health Service Act to maintain the Rural 
      Communities Opioid Response Program, 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 ``RCORP Authorization Act''.

SEC. 2. RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM.

    The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 
330A-2 (42 U.S.C. 254c-1b) the following:

``SEC. 330A-3. RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (in 
this section referred to as the `Administrator'), shall maintain a 
program to be known as the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program to 
establish and expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services in 
rural areas (as defined by the Secretary) for substance use disorders 
(including opioid use disorder), related behavioral health conditions, 
and other related public health issues.
    ``(b) Grants and Cooperative Agreements.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under this 
        section, the Administrator may award grants or cooperative 
        agreements to eligible entities.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a 
        grant or cooperative agreement under this section may use funds 
        received through such grant or cooperative agreement to--
                    ``(A) conduct planning activities to strengthen the 
                capacity of cross-sector networks and improve 
                coordination of resources and care involving substance 
                use disorder;
                    ``(B) identify and implement evidence-based and 
                sustainable delivery models to provide direct 
                prevention, treatment, and recovery services;
                    ``(C) respond to new and emerging public health 
                issues involving substance use disorder;
                    ``(D) provide targeted technical assistance or 
                evaluation activities with respect to grants or 
                cooperative agreements awarded under this section; or
                    ``(E) engage in such other activities as the 
                Secretary may determine appropriate to carry out the 
                program under this section.
            ``(3) Prohibited use of funds.--An eligible entity that is 
        awarded a grant or cooperative agreement under this section may 
        not use funds provided through such grant or cooperative 
        agreement for the acquisition or improvement of real property.
            ``(4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant or 
        cooperative agreement under this section, an entity shall be--
                    ``(A) a State;
                    ``(B) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as 
                such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
                Determination and Education Assistance Act);
                    ``(C) a State office of rural health; or
                    ``(D) any other domestic entity.
            ``(5) Application.--To seek a grant or cooperative 
        agreement under this section, an eligible entity shall submit 
        to the Administrator an application at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Administrator 
        may require, including a description of how the rural 
        population in the local community or region to be served will 
        be involved in the development and ongoing operations of such 
        activities, as applicable.
            ``(6) Grant period.--The Administrator may not award a 
        grant or cooperative agreement under this section for a period 
        of more than 5 years.
            ``(7) Funding.--The Administrator may fully fund a grant or 
        cooperative agreement made under this section at the time of 
        the award.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $165,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028.''.
                                 <all>
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