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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2440 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2440

   To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve loan repayment 
             programs of the National Institutes of Health.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 19, 2015

Mrs. Ellmers of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve loan repayment 
             programs of the National Institutes of Health.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. IMPROVEMENT OF LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS OF NATIONAL 
              INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.

    (a) In General.--Part G of title IV of the Public Health Service 
(42 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the second section 487F (42 U.S.C. 
        288-6; pediatric research loan repayment program) as section 
        487G; and
            (2) by inserting after section 487G, as so redesignated, 
        the following:

``SEC. 487H. LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program, based 
on workforce and scientific needs, of entering into contracts with 
qualified health professionals under which such health professionals 
agree to engage in research in consideration of the Federal Government 
agreeing to pay, for each year of engaging in such research, not more 
than $50,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans of 
such health professionals.
    ``(b) Adjustment for Inflation.--Beginning with respect to fiscal 
year 2017, the Secretary may increase the maximum amount specified in 
subsection (a) by an amount that is determined by the Secretary, on an 
annual basis, to reflect inflation.
    ``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary may not enter into a contract with 
a health professional pursuant to subsection (a) unless such 
professional has a substantial amount of educational loans relative to 
income.
    ``(d) Applicability of Certain Provisions Regarding Obligated 
Service.--Except to the extent inconsistent with this section, the 
provisions of sections 338B, 338C, and 338E shall apply to the program 
established under this section to the same extent and in the same 
manner as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps 
Loan Repayment Program established under section 338B.
    ``(e) Availability of Appropriations.--Amounts appropriated for a 
fiscal year for contracts under subsection (a) are authorized to remain 
available until the expiration of the second fiscal year beginning 
after the fiscal year for which the amounts were appropriated.''.
    (b) Update of Other Loan Repayment Programs.--
            (1) Loan repayment program for minority health disparities 
        research.--Section 464z-5(a) of the Public Health Service Act 
        (42 U.S.C.285t-2(a)) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``$35,000'' and 
                inserting ``$50,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 487H shall apply 
                with respect to the maximum amount specified in this 
                subsection in the same manner as it applies to the 
                maximum amount specified in subsection (a) of such 
                section.''.
            (2) Loan repayment program for research with respect to 
        acquired immune deficiency syndrome.--Section 487A(a) of such 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 288-1(a)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$35,000'' and inserting 
                ``$50,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 487H shall apply 
                with respect to the maximum amount specified in this 
                subsection in the same manner as it applies to the 
                maximum amount specified in subsection (a) of such 
                section.''.
            (3) Loan repayment program for research with respect to 
        contraception and infertility.--Section 487B(a) of such Act (42 
        U.S.C. 288-2(a)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$35,000'' and inserting 
                ``$50,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 487H shall apply 
                with respect to the maximum amount specified in this 
                subsection in the same manner as it applies to the 
                maximum amount specified in such subsection (a) of such 
                section.''.
            (4) Loan repayment program for research generally.--Section 
        487C(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 288-3(a)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$35,000'' and inserting 
                ``$50,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 487H shall apply 
                with respect to the maximum amount specified in this 
                paragraph in the same manner as it applies to the 
                maximum amount specified in such subsection (a) of such 
                section.''.
            (5) Loan repayment program regarding clinical researchers 
        from disadvantaged backgrounds.--Section 487E(a)(1) of such Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 288-5(a)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$35,000'' and inserting 
                ``$50,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 487H shall apply 
                with respect to the maximum amount specified in this 
                paragraph in the same manner as it applies to the 
                maximum amount specified in such subsection (a) of such 
                section.''.
            (6) Loan repayment program regarding clinical 
        researchers.--Section 487F(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 288-
        5a(a)), as added by section 205 of Public Law 106-505, is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``$35,000'' and inserting 
                ``$50,000''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 487H shall apply 
                with respect to the maximum amount specified in this 
                subsection in the same manner as it applies to the 
                maximum amount specified in such subsection (a) of such 
                section.''.
            (7) Pediatric research loan repayment program.--Section 
        487F of such Act (42 U.S.C. 288-6, as added by section 1002(b) 
        of Public Law 106-310, is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``$35,000'' 
                and inserting ``$50,000'';
                    (B) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
                following new sentence: ``Subsection (b) of section 
                487H shall apply with respect to the maximum amount 
                specified in subsection (a)(1) in the same manner as it 
                applies to the maximum amount specified in such 
                subsection (a) of such section.''; and
                    (C) by redesignating such section as section 487G.
                                 <all>
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